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LETTERS 



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Concerning the 

Love of GOD, 

Between the Author of the 

tothcLADIES 




AND 

Mr. yOHN NORRIS: 

Wherein his late Difcourfe, (hewing. That 
it ought to be intire and exclufive of 
, all other Loves, is further Cleared and 
^ Juftified. 

PUBLISHED 

By J. NORRIS, M. A. Redor of 

Befuerton near Sarum. 



The Second Edition^ Csrreiled by the Authors^ 
■with fame few Things added. 



\ LONDON: 

^rinttd for S»ailinel Sfiant^ip at the Ship near the 
Royal Exchange m Cornhil^and Itic^rO WLtlfcttt 
at the Kin£sH$ai in St. P4;i/'s Church- Yard, 
1705. 



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rata? To the Truly 

Right Honourable LADY, 

The LADY 

CATHERINE JONES, 

INDUE 

Acknowledgment of her Merits, 

A N D I N 

Tcftimony of that y«/?. 

And therefore 

Very Great and Unfeigned 

VENERATION 

Which is Paid to her 



Ladifliips V( 



THESE 



LETTERS 

Are moft Humbly 

Dedicated and Prcfcnted. 



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t O t H E 

READER' 

THE Letters here Idid open to th 
View tre a Ute Carrejpohdence tt^ 
tween my JHf and 0, QentltPMrndk^ 
and to add to thfWonder^ a yoMMf Gentle^ 
iipoman. Hei^ iMame I have not tieLiteftf 
to pubtijb* Far her Perfon^ of her Modefy 
mill not fuffeir me A fay much ofher^fo the 
prefint ProdmSionsof her Pen make it ut^ 
terlyneedlefs to Jay any thin^^ nnltfs it hi 
hy way of Prevention t& obviate a Diffidence 
infome who from the fwrpri%ing Excellency 
of thefe Writifigs may he tempted to auefiioH 
^whether my Correfpondent he really a Woman 
or no. To whom myAnJher is^ thMt indeed 
I did not fee her xorite thefe Letieri^ hu^ 
that I have all the moral and reafonable Affu^ 
tance that Jbe did 'write them, and is tht 
true Author oft hem ^ that can he bad in ^ 
thing ofthk Nature. And I hope my Credit^ 
may be good enough with tbofe that knoto me 
to be believed mpon^ my feriom Word^ t^hera' 
there it no other SatkfaSion to he gtvin. . 

The Subfe^ of this Corrtfptfn'dence > tht^ 
beji and gredteft that the Thought of? in i9e< 
tetligtnt Cfeitun can\poSbh enMnfei* filf 

A dout. 



The Preface. 

ni^uty the Love of G QD^ JbuL^twcrcMUici 

to he wijbed thdt this were made more the 
SubjeS not only of our Converjatlons and 
Lett^s (infiedd of thofe many empty Md 
impertinent Formalities that nfnallyfill and 
ingrofs them J hut even of our Booh and more 
elaborate Compofures^ which I think vpould 
he 'better imployed in laying good Fonnda^ 
tionx for the Lwe of GOD, and raifing 
the lopp^fnnk Pra^ice of ity than in cnrions 
Refiarphes of hk Nature^ and an eternal 
Contention and tediom ChicafiC ahout the 
Trinity. Men ntay wringio for ever ahont 
thefe ahflrufe Theories^ and foontr di^mtt 
themifehes out of Charity than into Tmth^ 
but our Wilis have at pr^ent a larger Capa^^ 
ehy thdffour XJnderjhndingT, and our Lor^e 
of^Ojy may be wryjkamingandferifhick^ 
mhe» after the greatefi Elevation and Soar cf 
Thought our Conceptionr of him are but faint 
andjhadotoy^ and vpefee him hut in a UJa/s 
darkly. But if we would even make thk 
Glafs more tranffarent^ *tk Love that muji 
tlari^eaml refine it. An aj^effionate Senfe of 
GOI> wilhdifcowr more of him to m^than 
aB the dry Study and Speculation ofScho^ 
laftick Heads, the Fire of 0ur Hearts will 
give thektjl and truefi Light to our Eyes^ 
and when all it done the Love of G OD is 
the hfi Comenplaiion. 
HoweYR)! amfuroit istAoheft Fradice« 



The Preface^ ~ 

Lave is not only the Jborteji 0$d moji cpm^ 
fen Aims Wm to PerfeSion^ but the greatefi 
Height h and Pitch ^ it. Ihe more we have 
of IrOve^ the nearer Advances wo »dke to 
00 D^ who is Low itfilf, and who breathr 
firth from himejfential and fubflantial Love^ 
the more Jit we are to tajie the Sweetnefi of 
Divine Communion and religions walking 
with him here^ and the better . prepared t^ 
relijb and enjoy the fatter Dijplay. of his 
fovereign Excellence hereafter. 

Heaven is but a State of the moJi perfkl^ 
and comfummated Love^ and therefore the 
hefi thing we can prance upon Earth is to 
tune our Hearts to this Divine Strain^ to 
Jkf them as high as we can^ for fnre the beji 
Preparation fir Lave mtJi be Love it Jelfi 
But whatever other Salifications are requi^ 
Jite^ a Heart once truly touched with this 
Divine Pajjion cannot long want them. LoeA 
wiS draw along after it all other Firtms^ 
will perfeS and improve them^ and will at 
teaft hide thofe Faults of them which it can^ 
not correH. For tAis is that mriverfat E?c^ 
cellency which fupplies the DefeSs of other 
Works ^ but which if wanting \Jnch a mctfL 
fary and vital Part it is) Jtiathing elja can 
fiipply or compound fir. Neither Tongues^ nor 
Prophecy^nor Knowledge ^or Faitk,nor Alms;^ 
nor even Martyrdom itfilffigmfie ant thing 
without Charity. Tht lit art $s the Sacrifice 

A ^ thai 



The Preface. 

that GOD de^djsfds^ 4nd nnlefs thdt ie 
offered^ the richeftOhUtlon mBfind na Ac^^ 
ceptdnce. Other Gifts and Graces ^whether in-- 
ielleUHdl or mardL come indeed firbm Hear 
ven^ but they often ledve ps npott E^rtb* Ijrue 
ofdy elevdtes us up thither^ and ts^te to unite, 
us to GOD. *Tis this indeed tk^ gives m 
the firiSefl Dnipn mtbhim^intBifLifeJ 
By Fdithwelive upon GOD^ ly Obedience' 
we live to hint^ but *tis by Love dlone tb^t 
roe live in him. And fo St. John, (5od is 
Love^ and he that dwelleth in Love dwel- 
leth in God and God in him-4 Pdffdge that 

indhes highly for the Privilege of Lave^ and^ 
rohich I cdnnot mention without calling to 
mind d m'oji Divine Remdrk which the Pqrt 
Abr^edela Morale ^oysl^n their IdteAbJlrdli^ 
desEpiftrcs,d'c.7tfn7. ^ the Mordlitj ofthe New 
^Tast 112. \ Teftdment has Hpon it. (^ 

^reat GOD, you are all Love in youif 
elf, and all Lave for Man, and Man dares 
deliberate whetlaer he ftiould love you,and 
fo inqiiireVhen and how far he is obli- 
ged* t;o dd it ff to Love G QD be to pot- 
fcfs him, and' to *be pofTefTed by Mm, whaf 
an Emptineis is thefe in. that; Hea^t whicK 
does.jibt loye GQD, or of what is it full 
ff hot of Vaiiit^. tod IbdigenCe it felt .^ 

But I niay he concenkd to pledd as weU 
is to recommend /i^e Greatnefs of our Sub- 
jcSjphic}^ indeed is fo fuhlime And vdfi. has 



%'..'% t i^ 



The Preface. 

Jhc^ Ifkmcnfe, T^lmhtpons^ fncHHeighths and 
l^pths in hy that there needs no other Apor 
iogy than the Theme tpe treat of to excufe th^ 
tl^Sh/enefs of our Meditations upon it. jfr 
fhei^ be any Argnment that wiU opprefs a 
Writer with its Weighty dazzle him with its 
Glgry^ and make every thing thai he JhaS 
think or fay Hponit appear little^ it is thk cer^ 
tainly of the hove cfGod^ which is a Theory 
of too exalted a Nature for any humane Pen^ 
andfuch as Angels alone are fit to write upon^ 
They that contemplate the Face of GOD 
tan teU^ it may he^ in fonse meafurehow lovely 
he k^ and the very Tranf^rt of their high 
Pajjion would fumifi them with Expreffiony 
but 'tis hard for a Soul that fees only his Back- 
parts to giveanytolerablereprefentaiionofhis 
Beauty^ and for a Spirit that dwells ytnd con^ 
4krfes ttpon Earth to £^ak the language of 
Heaven. There are Myfteries in the Love of 
God as welt as in other parts of Religion which 
t0 the Minds of Men i armed as they are with 
fenjtble Prejudices^ will appear very difficulty 
and which the mo^ purged and ittuminated 
Spirits will not pih^ently consprehend^ and 
which even thofe thai do v^itt not i^y ex* 
plain fo asto make them inteBiphle /* others: 
PraSiice and Experiment wiffgo furthefi here^ 
iut after all we mufi he often ^rced to cry^ O 
the Depth! 6>*Pauiyee»//^ii4»eJ«eiJ^^ 
hk qf this when be prayed fir his Ephefians^v 

A 3 that 



The Prcf jKt. 

iUt bdiig rooted \td grounded in Lov^ 
they mi^t be able to comprehend with all 
&iints, whatis the Breadth and Length and 
Depth and Heiehth, and to l/aiovi the Love 
of Chrift whidh pafles Knowledge. Tbu 
perbaps may be cbiefij memt of tSe Love of 
God to MOyhnt 'th as true cfonr Love to bim^ 
wbicb boi its Dlmenfiom too^ d Deptb tobicA 
we can bardjy founds ond d Heigbtb wbicb 
we can hardly reacb. 

Some it may he wiU be ready to fay bero 
fbdt we bdve reacbed beyond itj^ carryings tbe 
meajkres ofDitdneLove to too great a beigbth. 
But let nte only defire tbene to conjider (be- 
fides wbat tbey will find for tbe Jujiification 
of our Meafure in tbe following Papers) tbdt 
tbe Love bere dijcourjed of and recommend^ 
is tbe Low of a God, tbat is^ of all tbat is 
good, ofaStbatisperfeS, of a ff tbat is lovely^ 
fif aS tbat is defirable^ infiort^ofalltbat tm* 
ty isy andean any Love be too great ortoobigk 
forfucb an Okje&/ Or ratber does be not de^ 
ferve infinitely more tban we of any of bis 
Creatures can befiow upon bim ? Wbat can an 
infinite good be loved too mucb, or is any de^ 
gree of Low too bigb fir bim wbo is infimtely 
lovely^ snd wbo infinitely loves bimfelff Is 
tbe tJeart of Man too great a Sacrifice fir a 
God^ tbo^ tt were intirely offered and wbolly 
burnt and confunfod at bis Altar / E^datty 
fmct^bo Htnftlf demands it 4//, re^^tirhtg *r 

to 



The Preface. 

$9 iMt ikm with mr vtMt Hearty SmI ^nJL 

Mind. Andwrnldweprefent^imwitbUfsi 

What d9 fU€ think the whole tpo gteat&r him 

tbtit me ihm hnnce 4md divide it \ But doei^ 

not i>wr Cofffcience ficretiy reproach m tphen 

we dajh^ Tar, it ^continually uphraidf to m 

the Line jf Creatnres^ and if aiways t^ a 

faithful Advocate pleading in the hehdlf of 

God^ and afferting his foverei^n Right. And 

whj thenjbould it be thought Juch ajiretch of 

the Love of God to make it intire and exdu^ * 

Jhfe ofa'B other Loves ? Can we love God too 

much^ or Creatures too little^ Or k it fucha 

Paradox to make the Church Jbeak to Chriji 

in the fame L4mguage wherein he condefcends 

to fpeak to her^ my Love, myundcfiledis 

but one. 

B$§t after ally k thk fkch a ntte and nnr 
heard ofConcluJion that God ought to be the 
fole and intire OhjeB of our Love^ to be fo 
^ared M as I find it is^ and lookt -upon asfiich 
a Singularity ! No certainty; nothing mare or^ 
dinary in Books of Piety and Devotion, 4han 
to meet with Exprejjions of this Kind. Sk 
AuftinV Devotional TraSs are fuH ofthem^ 
and Jo are our mddernWriters who commonly 
run upon the fame Strain^ as maybe f^n at 
large (f^r ^tis endlefe to make particular 
\Su4ftat$ons here) in all thofe Books that nro, 
^ yoritten afier the my flic al and Jpiritmal way^ 
* MS intheiVorksofihegreai^anilbSerapihwk 

A 4 St. 



The Preface.' 

St. The{eC3L;,f€rticul0ljrm her Way cf Per* 
fe&ion, W Mr AerPe^eeisSbr L' Amour do 
Dieu, /irC4cr^4/Bona'Jrvia Compendiiad- 
Deum, Chrefliien Interaeur, Thomas a Kem- 
pisaftie ImtAtionofChnjl: T«( which m^y 
be 4idded CorneilleV Book of Divine Poems 
upon thefute SiAj0, vhere be hssthis me-> 
tftorabie P^Jptge j' ' \ 

i 

O <^' hcureux eft Ccluy qui de Coeur & d* cfprit 
Scut gottftcr et que C eft que d* aimer Jefiis Chrlft-, 
£t joindreJi ceft laonur le m^pris dc foy-fDelmc ; 
O qu* heureuK eft Celay qui fe laiiTc Charmer 

Aux Celeftes attraits dc fa 6eauf6 fupr^me, 
Jttfqu' i qmttcr ^o'ot cc <ni' Uiaim^ 
Pour p9 Dicn 9fi il fiiot fey| ain»;r. , 

Ce deux & faint' Tyno denoflre Aihdion, . ^ % 

A de Ja J4louiie & de 1* Ambition, .. * 

ll Teot rcgoer Hiy (eol fur toot nodtt Courage, 

II Teut cftre aime feul, & ne fcauroit Souffrtr 

Klf autre aipour qbe It, Si^n po^ chtrpr«n (KrUge, 

Ny du Canr qu' il prend ^o Ofta/^e, 

Ny des Vocux qu* on luy doir offrir. * 

Monfiwr Jurieu hds klfo d gredtde^l to the 
fdme purpofemhis Booh ^/Chriftian Devor 
tion, 4Hd I might ndme fever d among our 
0mn Writers; but there is ime th^t delivert 
^fiWfi fidl4ndhome totheBufimefs that 
I need mention w more^bkt fidll. only prefent 
fhe Reader with, aPaffagejout of him. It is 
Bijbop Lake, mho in his Seventh Sermon «^ 
M thofiWords^ Thou ft^It Jdve the Lopd 
thy God with all thy Heart, k^., Matth. aa. ^ 
ifP^ 37' O^ WJf T^^^f mhui^d upon) exr * 



The Preface. 

mffks himfilfthufsiy In the Queftion of Per-' 
'niQion Divines require a double Perfeftion, 
^on partium, the other graduum. There is 
a Perfeaion of the Parts in Man, which 
riiuft be feafoned with the Vertue, and the 
Vertue in thofe Parts muft arife unto its 
full Pitch. This Teict requires both thefe 
Perfeftions in Charity. The Perfeftion of 
the Parts of Man are intimated in the enu- 
meration of the Heart, Mifld, Soul and 
Strength, untb which all our iftward and 
outward Abilities may be reduced. So that 
thefe is no Power or Part of Man that muft 
dot be qualified with the Love of God. But 
of this Perfi^ioh I have fpioken when 1 
Aewed you the: Seat of Love. I made ii 
plain unto you that there was to be in our 
Qiarity aiWifa^on of Parts. That witii 
Ssrhich we have now to do is thePofeftion 
of Degrees. TheText will tell us that it 
is not enoi:^b for every of thofe Parts to 
have the Love of God in them, they muft 
alfo be whcdly taken up therewith. And 
this Perfedion is noted by the Word (all) 
which is added to Heart, Soul, Mind, and 
Strength. 

A Gommandment is the fooner admitted 
if die ReafonaWenefs of the ground there- 
of be fifft difcoyered. I will therefore firft 
^ difcover the ground upon theReafonable- 
oefs whereof this great Meafure isreqmred. 

The 



The Preface; 

The ground is twofold, oae in GOO^ano- 
ther in us. The ground that iis found m 
Cod is taken from the Preface of this Text, 
as Mafes has delivered it, and St« AUrk re- 
peated it The Preface is, hearkenO/jfr^e/, 
the Lord thy God is one. But one, there* 
K>re tli« intire Objeft of our Love« He will 
not give this his Glory to any other, nei« 
ther will he indure any Corrival i^rein^ 
The Beginning, the Middle and the End of 
this Objeft is only he that is Alpht andO« 
aii^4, AefitftandJaft H«l we many Lord 
Ci^s then might we have many Ob^e6b of 
our Love. TheOb)eftcannomorebeninl« 
tipUed than he can. Take all the Parts of 
lus Title afunder, and you ihall find One- 
nefsandlntirenefitherdn. Afier dfartkH-^ 

be proceeds. I fuppofe if you have weU 
heeded what I have {kid you will acknow^ 
ledge that there is a fair ground in the 
Lord our God why he (hould challenae all 
our Love. Let us come now and look up* 
on our felves, and fee what ground thereof 
we can find there. 

When the Queftion was moved unto 
Chrift whether the Jews ought to pay Tri- 
bute to G^ or not, he called for the Coin 
and asked whofe Image andrSuperfcription 
it bare. And when they anfwered him 
C£fir\ herqplied, give unto C^r thde 

diings 



The Preface. 

tfun^ which are C^efarh. But he addeth to 
our rurpofe, that upon the fame grounds 
^ey muft give unto COD thofe things 
which areGOD'& If the Image and Super- 
fcription were a juft ground why -Coin 
ihould be paid unto C^far^ where GOD's 
Image is found there is as good a Reafon 
that that (hould be rendred uato him.Now 
God's Image is found in us by jNature, for 
we were made according to his Image, fo 
that all which we receive from him we owe 
4anto him by the Law of Creation. A fecond 
way is God's Image in us, by Grace. For 
our Regeneration is hut a fecond Creatiwi, 
wherein we are reformed unto that Image 
according to which God at £rft created us* 
All then is due unto God a fecond time, 
hy the Law of our Redemption, fo that 
whether we look upon our Ifeatt, our 
Mind, our Soul, or Strength, it may be de- 
manded of us, ^id habes^ quoi nan acce- 
pifii ? Wlnt haft thim^ &c And if we have 
received it all, the Exadion is but reafon- 

able, Si tvtum txigii a ie ^i f^tum ficif^ 
refecit te. Surely St. p4»/ though fo wten 
he wills the CcrinthUns toglorifieGod with 
their Bodies, and with tlietr Souls, adding 
this reafon, for they are God s. 

Well then we have found £ur grounds 
of this meafure. Forif God he fucfa and 
fusb to OS, ft$ you faave heuA^ the ooljr 

lovely 



I- 
L 



The Preface. 

lovely thing, and all that can be beloved^ 
and we are all his, and all that we have is 
due nrito Kim, both byJNature and by 
Grace, then ought we with all to exprew 
our Love towards him. But what is it to 
love him with all ! Surely it is to love him 

ftm divlfione &fine remijfione. None of our 
Abilities muft be divided, none of them 
muft be flack in doing this Work. Firft of 
the Divifion, wc muft not divide our Hearts, 

that is, as the Scripture 

ibe Reader, that m^f *Ff^5> ^*^^ ^ Heart 

ukt goes 4 again from and a Heart, a Heart 
if^'^wT^ ^f ** r !f for God, and a Heart 

plain that he u tkm ff^f r' i_ t»T i j ^ 
wj etfrefi to our Pur- lOf the World , €>C. 

/p9fe. And if be he^J^ Agdin^ all Divifiott of 

&/;;?ri^S,^ our Abilities is a plaia 

abandoning of the lov» 

•jof God, for no Man can fcrve two Matters 
-as Chrift tells us, &c. God will have all or 
none, &c. Again fujs Ae, What is the Ufe 
of all this but to make us fee how little wft 
perform of this Commandment, and how 
little Caufe we have to boaft of the bed: 
that we do therein. Who is he that can de- 
ny that his Abilities are divided, and that 
he loves more things than God, yea moft 
things more than God, &c. * 

YoH fee here is d ffreat Man thdt net enly 
estfrefly delivers the fame Conciufion^ but en^ 
didvonrs to prMi it #m. Wbtth^r kiswMj cf 
- ftafomng 



The PrefacCt 

TfAfoning he cwdupve or no I lesrve tbt Re4^ 
(ier to judge. All that I am at frefent con- 
cerned to remark is^ that the ConcUtJion it felf 
is far from being fnchaNovelty or Singularity 
4s many may imagine and ohjeQ. No^it is fie- 
Miently to he met . jw //&, and all that I have 
► • ' here and elfevphere done is only to reduce a 
common £onclufon into clear and dijiinS^ 
Principles^ fyc^ as are founded in the Nature 
and Reafon of Things. So that if what I ad^ 
vance be no Truth^ yet I am Jure it is no Pa-' 
radoXy vphich is enough to fence mefiom Pre- 
judice^ and I am content that Reajon J/jould 
decide the rej^. -; 

Wken I have depred the Reader to be f^ 
juft to me as nof tq meddle with thefePapers 
till he has firfl car^ully perufed the Difcourjk 
fO wBich they relafe^ and which contains the 
Principle upon vphich they proceed^ I have nor- 
thing more to f^ here unlefs it be to give fomc 
account of the Reafons ofokr comnfumcating 
4 private CorrMondence to the. Publici, con^ 
cerjfing which IJhall teave the Reader to fa-^ 
tiifie himJelfoHtofthe Twoenfuwg Letters^ 
which contain my Prof of al of a Publication^ 
»if/i6 the Reafon and manner of my Corre&on^ 
dents Compliance. .The Letters are as follows. 






r -Mad am ^ 

Qlnce we nave nowboth of us concluded 
C5 our Parts, and fo fealed up our Divine 
- ■ • • • • Subject 






The Preface. 

Subjeft with a double Seal, it would be a 
little indecorous to break it open again, 
efpecially for me who cannot think it Pru- 
dence to travel on even in fo pleafant a 
Road after my Guide has left me, to pro- 
ceed further in a Subjcflr where you think 
fit to end, or to vitiate with any Additions 
of mine the Relifh of an Argument upon 
which you have left fuch a pleafing and 
delicious Farewel. No Madam, let it ftand 
as you have left it, for tho' itlhould not be 
abfolutely finilhed (as indeed who can iky: 
of fuch an immenfe Subjed that it ever is)' 
yet 'tis moft juft and fit that where-ever 
you pleafe to end, there Ihould be the Con- 
clufion, after which, as in Apeltesh Vcnm^ 
there can be no adding without Prefump- 
tion. I ffiall not therefore be guilty of it, 
only give me leave to lament a little thar 
you conclude fo foon your Meditation? 
and my Reafures. For methinks I could' 
eternally hear you Difcourfe upon this ever 
fruitftil, ever ingaging and entertaining 
Theme, which aa great as iris receives fuch 
an Advantage from your Management, as 
might recommend it to thofe dull cold 
Spirits whom its own natural Excellency 
would never ^ifeft. The Very Tunings and 
loofer Touches of afweet and\vell toned 
Inftrument are pleaiant, and what then i% 
the Harmony when ir comes to be played 

on 



The Preface. 

; od by a Mailerly Hand ! And bow is tfie 
mufical Hearer grieved when he fees the 
melodious Ardft unftringing it and laying 
it afide. But Madam, there are feme Ptea*- 
iures that are always (hort, if Time be their 
Meafure^nd were' your Difcourfcs here ne- 
ver fo prolix lihould ftill think and be rea* 
dy to complain they were done ^oo foon^fo 
great and noble is the Subjed^, and fo ad* 
mirable both your Thoughts and Expreifi* 
ons upon it, fuch Choicenefs of Matter, 
fiich Weight of Senfe, fuch Art and Order 
of Contrivance, fuch Clearncjfs and Strength 
' of Reafoning, fuch Beauty of Language, 
fuch Addrefsof Stile, fuch bright and lively 
Images and Colours of things, and fuch mo-- 
ving drains of the moft natural and power- 
ful Oratory,and all this feafoned with fuch 
a Tindure of Piety, and feeming to come 
from a true inward vital Principle of the 
moft fincere and fettled Devotion. But 
why do I fay y?e«r/»r^,when 'tis next to im- 
poffible that fuch lively and favoury Repre- 
fenfations of the Love of God Ihould pro- 
ceed from one that is not intimately ac- 
quainted with the Myfteries and Secrets of 
it, or that there ftiould be any fuch Know- 
ledge without the moft hearty and afFefti- 
onate fenfe of it,which alone is able to teach 
and make it known. For, contrary to the 
Method ol other Sciences, 'tis Praftice here 

that 



The Preface. 

ttet begets Thfcoiy, and thofe only who 
have their Hearts thoroughly wanned and 
animated with the Love of God can either 
iuiow or defcribe its Properties. 
• Madam, I am very fenfible what Obli- 
gations I am under to you for the Privilege 
of your excellent Correfpohdence, though 
I can never hope that my Thanks (hould 
ever equal either the Pleafure or the Advan- 
tage I have received by it, or that I fhould be 
ever able to exprefs the Value I fet upon 
your Letters, either as to their Ingenuity or 
their Piety. The former of which might 
make them an Entertainment for an Angel, 
and the latter fufficient (if poffible) tomake 
a Saint 6£ the blacked; Devil. I am fure jfor 
my own Part I have particular reafon to 
thank you for them, having received great 
fpiritual Comfort and Advantage by thern, 
not only Heat but Light, intelfe&ual as well 
as moral Improvement. For fas many Dif* 
coiirfes as there a^e upon the Subjeft) I 
know not whether I have . met with any 
that have foinlight^ed myTVlind,inlareed 
my Heart, fo. entered and took poffeffion 
of my Spirit, and have had fuch a general 
and commanding Influence oyer my whole 
Soul as thefe of yours. And Iqueftion not 
but thatthey would have the fanieEffed up-* 
on other Readers if they were but expofed 
to their: View,: and would help to fan and 

blow 






The Preface, 

blow up that divine Fire which our Saviout 
came to kindle upon Earth, but which the 
Neglefl: of carelefsMen has let almoft go out. 
And indeed never was there more need of 
fuch warm quickning Difcourfes than in this 
cold frozen Age of ours, wherein the Flame 
of divine Love feems notonly toburn with 
a blue expiring Light, but to hang ioofe 
and hovering, juft ready to fly away and 
be extinft. Some have not the JUnoroledge of 
God^ was the Complaint of St. Paul^ and 
the chief Charader of his Time. But that 
of ours is want of the Love of God, and 
which equally redounds to our ^Aif^re. Per- 
haps more,fince the natural Capacity of our 
Wills is greater and more extenfive than 
that of our Underftandings, and he that 
knows but little may yet love much. But to 
our Shame the Reverfe of this is now true* 
There is a great deal of Knowledge now a- 
days and but little Love. Knowledge indeed 
is now in its Meridian, difFufing at once a 
very bright and univerfal Light, but the 
Love of God is declining and juft ready to 
fet. Strange that our Heads (hould be fo foil 
of Life and Spirits, and yet that the Pulfe 
of our Hearts (hould beat fo low! But the 
Ends of the World are come upon us, and 
a double Prophecy muft be fulfilled, viz. 
That in the latter Day s Knowledge (hallin- 
crcafe,and that the Love of many (hall wax 
cold. a O 



The Preface. 

O divine Love whither art thou fled, or 
where art thou to be found > How little art 
thou underftood, and how much lefs art 
thou confidered and praftifed ! What Dif- 
coveries of thee have been made by the Soil 
of God,and yet what a Riddle art thouftill 
to the World ! What a Divine Teacher haft 
thou had,and yet how few arc thy Difciples ! 
How charming and raviftiing are thy Plea- 
fures, and yet how very few haft thou ina- 
mourf d by them ! While in the mean time 
Covetoufnefs and Ambition have their nu- 
merous Altars and Votaries, and fenfual 
Love is continually fpreading its Vidories, 
and leading in triumph its inglorious Cap- 
tives. O God that thou (houldft be fo infi- 
nitely lovely , and yet fo little beloved ! That 
ever mortal Beauties ftiould be fufFered to 
yye v^ith thine, that thy Creatures fhould 
fall in love with one another, and in the 
mean timenegled thee, thou infinite, thou 
only fair, who alone art worthy to have, 
and who alone canft reward their Paffion > 
What a juft Indignation muft every true 
Lover of God conceive at this ftrange Dif- 
order, and how willing and ready will he 
be to help it by promoting and propaga- 
ting as far as he can the Love of God in the 
World! For this is one great EfFeft and Sign 
of the Love of God (and the only one I 
would have added to thofe you have Men- 
tioned) 



The Preface* 

tioned) that whereas the Lovers of* ci^eated 
Beauties are jealous of them,and willing to 
ingrofs them to themfelves, being confci- 
ous of their Incapacity to fufEce for many, 
thofe that truly love God are defirous to 
have others love him too, to multiply his 
Votaries, and to make the whole World if 
they can, offer up their Sacrifices Upon the 
fame divine Altar.There cannot be a greater 
Pleafure to a true Lover of God than to fee 
him loved by others, nor a greater Grief 
than to think what vaft Numbers of evil 
Spirits there are in Hell, and wicked Men 
upon Earth, who either hate him or imper- 
fedly love him. And what would notfuch 
a Soul do, what would (he not fufFer to gain 
Profelites to the I/)ve of God,and promote 
the Power and Intereft of it in the World, 
that foGod might be loved in Earth as he is 
in Heaven? And how would it re Joyce ^her 
to find her Endeavours fucceed, to find that 
by careful fanning and blowing, (he has at 
length lighted the Fire under the Sacrifice, 
andthat by her zealous Endeavours it burns 
and confumes, and fends up to Heaven' a 
grateful Fume ? What Satisf aftion would (he 
take,and how comfortably would (he warm 
her felf at the Fire which (he has kindled. 
And truly Madam, I know no better Fuel 
wherewith tokiipidle and nouri(h this (acred 
Fire than fUch Difcourfes as yours, which 

a 2 there- 



The Preface. 

therefore I think are too ufeful to the Pal> 
lick not to be due to it. Treafuresyou know 
ought not to be concealed, and fo great is 
the Diforder when they are, that Ghods 
oftentimes think it worth while to come in- 
toour World on purpofe to have them dif- 
clofed. To be plain and free, I do verily 
think nothing can be more conducive (next 
to the Breathings of the holy Spirit,and the 
Writings by him infpiredj to promote the 
Love of God, than your Divine Difcourfes, 
nothing more effeftual to inlarge its Empire 
in the Hearts of Men, which is fo excellent 
an End, that I can hardly fee how you can 
poflibly difpenfe with your felf from fer- 
viflg it when you have it fo far in your 
power. But I ftiall not alTume to be your 
Cafuift. You know be{t?vhat your Oppor- 
tunities, and what your Oblivions are. 
Only this, if you communicate your Letters 
you will be a general Bepefaftor. |o Man^'^ 
kind, who will be highly obliged tS^. thank 
ypii;^* and^S^Uich ii more; * to blefs God on 
yopr behalf. ^B^^^^ if you deny the World fo 
rich aTxeafpre^ all that I have to fet againft 
the publick Lpfs will be my own greater 
PrivilegCj .which however for the common 
Benefit would willingly be exchanged by 

Bemmon, . ^ TpHT very humble Servant^ 
Jul,. Ac: -^ J. NORRIS. 

5Vr. 



The Preface. 

Since 'tis your Pleafure to clofe this excel- 
lent Subjeft, that I might not with it 
put an End to thofe great Advantages which 
(uch an agreeable and inftruftive Corre- 
fpondence affords me, I defigned ("when I 
had taken notice of fome few incidentals in 
our former Letters^ to propofe a new Sub- 
5e£l: in this,or elfe to defire you would plcafe 
to make choice of fuch an one as you flial| 
judge of greateft Ufefulnefs, but that in 
good Manners I think I am obliged to return 
an Anfwer to that Requeft with which you 
conclude the old Subjeft before I introduce 
a new one. Perhaps bythis time, and upon 
maturer Confideration, you have altered 
your Defire, which I fliould be glad of for 
your fake, left the World which fo juftly 
values your Judgment in other things,(hould 
have too much occafion to decry it in this. 
I am not ignorant that Perfons who have a 
great deal of Worth themfelves, are too apt 
to over-rate the leaft Appearances of it in 
others, and give fuch Charafters of their 
Friends as better exprefs what they would 
have them be, than what they really are. It 
being the Property of thofe only who are 
diffident of their own Merit, to envy and 
endeavour to leffen their Neighbours, and 
becaufe t&ej are little, imagine that others 
are fo, whilft thofe who have noble Souls 

a 5 them- 



The Preface. 

thcmfelvcs, form their Ideas of others ac- 
cording to their own worth : And thus it 
comes that you pafs fo undeferved aChara- 
fter on my Letters, concerning which I be- 
lieve very few will be of your Mind. Is the 
World do you think fuch an equitable Cen- 
for that I (hould care to make it my Con- 
felTor, and expofe to its view Papers writ 
with the fame Freedom with which I think > 
Many are the Faults I find in them my felf, 
(hough we are generally over partial to our 
bwn Produftions. Like fond Parents we 
think our own Brood the faireft, how dif- 
agreeable foever they appear to difinterefled 
Judges. What think you then will the Beanx 
EJ^its difcover > How will it gratifie that 
which they call Wit, but is more truly ill 
Nature,to find fo much Matter to work on > ' 
For truly Sir, when we expofe our Medita- 
tions to the World, we give them a Right 
to judge, and we muft either be content 
with the Judgment they pafs or keep our 
Thoughts at home. Charity and Wifdo© 
indeed w^ould reftrain them from that un- 
governable Liberty they ufually take 5 they 
may cenfure fo it be with Candor ^ judge 
equitably 5 ay, and pafs Sentence too, pro- 
vided it be impartially. But though 'tis the 
Bufinefs of a trueCritickto difcover Beau- 
ties as well asBlemifties, and by a due bal- 
iancing of both, t;o pafs a found Judgment 



The Preface. 

on the whole, fuch Equity is not to be ex^ 
peded where fo much Envy abounds,where 
every Man reckons another's Praifes his 
Detraftion, and never thinks his Fame will 
re^ch fo high as when 'tis built on the Ru- 
ins of his Neighbours. A very prepofterous 
Way in my Opinion, to get or increafe Re- 
putation. For where is the Glory of excel- 
ling thofe who have little or noExcellency 
in them } No, let them (hine as bright as 
they can, and if then I can out-ftiine them, 
I have made fome confiderable Addition to 
myCharadter. The Cenfure therefore that 
abounds in the World is one Reafon why 
I am againft Printing. If a Body have no 
Worth, to what end fliould they expofe 
themfelves, and bring their Weaknefs to the 
Light > And if they have. Concealment is 
their wifeft Choice, fince they (hall be fure 
to find more Envy than Encouragement ? 
For it is the Cuftom of the World when 
they behold a ftiining Virtue, to ftrive ra- 
ther to reduce it to their Level, than to rife 
to its exalted Heighth. Tis odds whether 
fuch a Man can benefit others, who are too 
oft refolved not to be benefited by him, but 
he is certain to fuffer himfelf. Every bufie 
finger will be pulling the Flie out of his ^% 
of Oyntment, not to advance but tolenen 
its Price. If he be guilty of alittleMil^ake 
KHX Inadvertency (and who is fecur^ there- , 

a' 4 froJ"^): 



The Preface. 

from >) Charity (hall never be called on to 
difpofe of it, but it (hall be bandied about, 
heightened and aggravated^not only to his, 
but even to the Reproach of W ifdom and 
Virtue it felf. Since then the Air is fo unr 
kind, let's keep our tender Plants beneath 
a Glafs ^ *ti$ enough that they lie open to 
the Obfervation and Influence of the Sun 
of Rigjiteoufnefs, and that whenOccafion 
ferves, a Friend may be admitted to view 
and tafte them. Thefe and fome other Con- 
fiderations have recommended to me, my 
darling, my beloved Obfcurity^ which I 
court and doat on above all Earthly Blef* 
lings, and am as ambitious to Aide gently 
through the World, without fo much as 
being feen or taken notice of in it, as others 
are to buftle and make parade on its Thea- 
ter. And therefore, though I defire by all 
laudable means to fecure a good^ will moft 
jnduftrioufly (hun a great Reputation. Not 
that I want Ambition, perhaps there is too 
much of that in my Temper, but becaufe I 
cannot endure to have my Glory and Re- 
ward foreftalled, nor can be content to re- 
ceive my PUuditixam any but an Infallible 
Judge. Tis enough for me to do well, let 
who will take the Praife of doing it, there 
being in my Opinion no Encomium compa- 
rajble to that which they Ihall one Day hear, 
}vho feek GOD's Glory and defpife their 

. ' own. 



The Prefaced 

own, Aud though I bear in me too ftiuch 
Allay tobeapprehenfive of great Commen- 
dations 5 yet, to confefs me Truths I as 
little care for Cenfure, having not yet ob-^ 
tained that perfe^k IndifFerency to publick 
Fame which I endeavour after, becaufe I 
fuppofe'tis fcarce poffibleto command our 
fel ves,and arrive at a true generofity ofTem- 
per, till we are perfeftly mortified toPraife 
and Difpraife as well as to other things. 

But befides this, methinks the very Form 
of a Letter renders fuch Compofitions im* 
proper fcM? publick view. Thofe Civilities 
which are but neceflary,efpecially when an 
Acquaintance is founding, will give the 
captious World occafion to fheer and laugh. 
It favours too much of MoHtaigne^s Affe- 
dation to trouble the World with fuch Par- 
ticularities of our Humour, and Infirmities 
as we may in private very laudably de- 
fcend to, and which I remember make a 
Part of fome of my Letters. Alas Sir, we arc 
too prone to over-rate our felves, and con- 
fequently to value whatever relates to us on 
no other Account but becaufe it does fo, but 
we muft not expeft to find People fo com- 
plaifant as to bear with this Temper, or per- 
haps fo dvil as not to ridicule and expofe it. 
Thefeare my Reafons againft a Publica- 
tion, I know not how they will weigh with 
j^bu, for{ mull: needs confefs one c^ yours 

over- 



The Preface. 

over-ballances them all 5 whatever People 
may fay of Temptation, to do Good feems 
to me diecmly irrefiftible one. And indeed, 
could I be convinced any thing I have writ 
would ferve the Ends of Piety, Iflbould de- 
(pife the Cenfure of the wouM-be-Criticks, 
and reckon,^^^ ^ would mc^e than compen* 
fate all other Inconveniencies.And perhaps 
a little Cenfure is neceflary to correft that 
Vanity your too good Opinion may have 
raifed in me, and which Idefire you would 
be lefs exjM'effive of for the future. Tis 
enough for me to obtain the inward Efteem 
of any vertuous and deferving Perfon, the 
greateft Kindnefs they can (hew is to ac-- 
quaint me with fuch Faults as leflen and 
obftruft it. 

But if thofe excellent and elaborate Dif** 
courfes that are abroad, have fo little EfFed; 
pn the generality of Mankind, how can I 
exped: my erode Rapfodies (houki have 
any ? Pardon me that I exprefs fo mean an 
Opinion of any thing you are pleafed to 
commend, I would not do it in any other 
Cafe. But all Men will not fee with your 
Eyes, whofe Candor has bribed your Judg- 
ment, and I am obliged to you as Homer 
and Virgil are to their Commentators, for 
difcovering Beauties in them which they 
themfelves perhaps never fo much asdreamt 
of. Have you indeed been afifeded with my 

Letters > 



The Preface. 

Letters ? 'Tis not through any Force of 
theirs but the Goodnefs of your own Tem- 
per. For Hearts fo full of Love to GOD, 
like Tinder, catch at every Spark. But alas, 
there is too much green Wood in the World 
to exped: that filch a languid Flame (hould 
kindle it. Your Letters indeed would be 
extremely ufeful, and I think they are in* 
tire enough by themfelve$,nor do they need 
9 Foil 5 fo that I cannot imagine to what 
Purpofemine will ferve, unlefs it be to de-r 
Goy thofe to a Perufal of theni, who want* 
ing Piety to read a Book for itsUfefulnefs, 
may probably have theCuriofity to inquire 
what can be the Produd of a Womans Pen^ 
and to excite a generous Emulation in my 
Sex, perfwade them to leave their infigni* 
ficant Purfuits for Employments worthy of 
them. For if one to whom Nature has not 
been over liberal, and who has found but 
little Afliftance tofurmount itsDefefts, by 
employing her Faculties the right way, and 
by a moderate Induftry in it, is inabled to 
write tolerableSenfe,what may not they per- 
form whq enjoy all that Quicknefsof Parts 
and other Advantages which (he wants ? 
And I heartily wifli they would make the 
Experiment, fo far am I from coveting the 
Fame of being fingular, that 'tis my very 
great Trouble it Ihould be any bodies Won* 
der to ineet with 90 ingenious Woman. 



The Prefece. 

If therefore you over-rule me, and re- 
folve to have thefe Papersgo abroad, it fhall 
be on thefe Conditions 5 firft,that you make 
no mention of my Name, no not fo much 
as the initial Letters ^ and next, that you 
dedicate them to a Lady whom I (hall name 
to you, or elfe give me leave to do ir. For 
though none can be lefs fond of Dedicati- 
ons, or has fo little Ambition to be known 
to thofe who are called great ; yet out of 
the Regard I owe to the glorious Author 
of all Perfeftion, I cannot but pay a very 
[reatRefpeft to one who fo nearly refem- 
Jes him. And where can a Difcourfe of 
the Love of GOD be more appofitely pre- 
fented than to a Soul that conftantly andl 
brightly ftdnes with thefe Celeftial Flames > 
One whom, now we have duly ftated the 
Meafurcs, I may venture to fay, I love with 
the greateft Tendernefs, for all muft love 
her who have any Efteem for unfeigned 
Goodnefs, who value an early Piety and 
eminent Vertue. All true Lovers c^ GOD 
being like excited Needles, which cleave 
not only to him their Mjignet^ but even to 
one another. A Lady, whom for the good 
of our Sex I would endeavour to defcribe, 
were I capable to write the Charadcr of a 
compleat and finiftied Pcrfon \ but it re- 
quires a Soul as bright, as lovely, as refined 
as her Ladyfliips, to give an exaft Defcrip-i 

tion 



The Preface. 

tion of fuch Perfeftions ! A Lady who dedi- 
cates that Part of her Life intirely to her 
Maker's Service, which the generality think 
too ftiort to ferve themfelves : Who in the 
Bloom of her Years, defpifing the Temptati- 
ons of Birth and Beauty, and whatever may 
withdraw her from M^ys noble Choice, 
has made fuch Advances in Religion, that 
if fhe hold on at this rate, (he'll quickly 
outftrip our Theory, and oblige the World 
with what was never more wanted than 
now, anexaftand living Tranfcript of Pri- 
mitive Chriftianity. So good (he is that 
even. Envy it felf has never a But to inter- 
fere with her Praifes, and though Women 
are not forward to commend one another, 
yet I never met with any that had feen or 
heard of her, who did not willingly pay 
their Eulogies to this admirable Perfon, 
and if Praife be due to any Mortal, doubt- 
lefs (he may lay the greateft Claim to it 
But not to relie wholly on Report, I my felf 
have obferved in her fo much Sweetnefs 
and Modefty, fo free from the lea(t Tin- 
dure of Vanity,fo infen(ible of that Worth 
which all the World admires j fuch a con- 
ftant and regular Attendance on the pub- 
lick Wor(hip of GOD, Prayers and Sacra- 
ments 5 fudh a ferious, reverent and unaf- 
fefted Devotion, fo fervent and fo prudent, 
fo equally compofed of Heat and Light, fo 

removed 



The Preface. 

removed from all Formality, and tlie Ex- 
tremes of Coldnefs and Enthufiafme, as 
gave me a lively Idea of Apoftolical Piety, 
and made me every Time I prayed by her^ 
fanqr my felf in the Neighbourhood of 
Seraphick Flames ! But— my Expreffions 
are too flat, my Colours too dead to draw 
fuch a lovely Piece ! Would to OOD we 
would all tranfcribe, not this imperfeft 
Copy, but that incomparable Original flie 
daily gives us 5 that Ladies may be at laft 
convinced that the Beauty of the Mind is 
the moft charming Amiablenefs, becaufc 
moft lading and moft divine, and that no 
Ornaments are fo becoming to a Lady as 
the Rdbe of Righteoufnefs and the Jewels 
of Piety. I am, 

Sir, 

JhIh 17. Your much obliged Friend 

and Servant. 



Tofifiript to the Preface. 

THo' Authorities go but a very little 
way with me inQucftions whofe De- 
termination depends upon Meafures of Rea- 
fon, yet finding that tne great and general 

Objeftion 



The Preface. 

Objedion that lies ag^ft the prefent Coii-» 
clufion is the pretended Singularity of it, I 
tliink it convenient to fet down a very fig- 
nal Paflage which (fince the writing the Pre- 
face) I have met with in the late Continua- 
tion des Ejfais de m$rdt Part i. Tom. i . Pag. 
59. whete upon that Text of St. ^eter^ I 
befeech you ds fifangers and pilgrims abftain 
f'omfkfilyLnfis^ &c. the excellent Moralift 
has thefe Words, But what is the Extent cf 
thefi carnal Defires which St. Peter forbids 
us ? It is eaSe to mark it out. For all that which 
is not God is carnal according to the Scrip tnre;^ 
becaufe it is aConfequence of the Corruption of 
the Hearty which having feparaied usfiom the 
Love ^ God has made theSoid willing m fill 
that Emptine/s which Jhe fie Is in her felfbj 
the Pojfefjion of Creatures. Whether thefe Ob* 
jeSs are Jpiritual or corporal, the Defires 
which we have of them areudways carnal in 
the Language of Scripture. For which reafon 
it is that S t. Paul puts DifiS^tions and Emu* 
lations amomthe Works of the Flefl). So that 
it is a no lep carnal Luft to defire Glory and 
Reputation^ and all that ferws in order toity 
than to defire the Pleafures of the Body^ be^ 
caufe thefe ObjeSs are no more our true Good 
than the other. God does no mare permit that 
Ti^flumld part our Love between him and Re^ 
putation^ betv^en him and the AffeSion ^/ 
Men^ than between him andfeajiing and other 

Bodily 



The Preface. 

Bodily Pleafures. For \tis dlways the Dhn* 
/Ion of a thing which was all dm to him. Tis 
always aDebafement of the Soul ^ which being 
made for GOD Jioops beneath^ and degrades 
berfelf in being willing to enjoy a Creature 
either e^nal or inferiourto herfelf GOD is 
great enough to be the only and intire ObjeS 
of our Hearty and 'tis to injure him to divide 
it^ becaufe ^tis in effe3 to declare to him that 
he does not deferve it all. 

You fee here is the Judgment of a whole 
Society of great Men, no lefs than the Illn'- 
ftrious Port Royal of France^ in as clear and 
cxprefs Terms as can be to our purpofe. 
'Twere infinite to appeal to all thofe Wri- 
ters who have either diredtly afferted this 
Conclufion, or occafionally let fall Expref- 
fions that favour and infinuate it There 
is hardly a Book of Morality or Devotion 
extant wherein Paflages of this Nature are 
not to be found. I do not fay there are ma- 
ny that offer to deduce this Conclufion 
irom Principles, but that it is generally 
held, and upon all Occafions alluded to 
and glanced at, which is enough to (hew 
the irrefiftiUe Prevalency of the Truth, 
and to skreen them from the prejudice and 
imputation of Novelty and Singularity^ 
who undertake upon a Rational Ground 
to clear and defend it. 

LETTER 



f ' ) 



LETTERS 

Philofophical and Divine, 

T O 

Mr. fpHN NORRIS, 
With his An(wers, 



^mmfmmmmmmmmmmn^im^m 



LETTER I. 
To Mr, Norris. 

SIR, 

T Hough fome morofe Gentlemen 
wouM perhaps remit me to the 
DiftafF or the Kitchin, or at 
teafl: to the CUifs and the 
Needle, the proper Employments as they 
fancy of a Womans Life 5 yet expeding 
better things from the more Equitable 
and Ingenuous Mr. Ninris, who is nor 

B Co 



3 Letters concerning 

lb natrow-Sourd as to confine Learning 
to his own ScT;-orto envy it in ours, I 
pnErume"'toT)egTiis Attention a little to 
rfie Iippcrtineiicies of a Womarii Fea. 
Aiijd indeed Sir, tljere isr fomg tes^foa 
wliy I, though a Stranger, ftiould Ad- 
drels to you for the Refdution of ipy 
Doubts and Information of my Jucfg- 
ment, fince you have increafcd my Na- 
tural Thirft for Truth, and fet me up 
for a Virtmfo^ For though I can't pre- 
tend to a Multitude of Books, Variety of 
Languages, the Ad vant^iges .of Acade- 
mical Evocation, or any Uelps^but what 
my own Curiofity affords 5 yet. Thinking 
ira^ S to ck that 110 ftatkma! Creature can 
want, if they know but how to ufe it 5 
and this, ^ as you have taught me, with 
Purity and Prayer, (which I ,wifh were 
as much pra6tis*d as they arfe eafie to 
pradife) is the way and method to true 
Knowledge. But fetting Preface and 
^polqgy^ 9fi«le, : the occafion.of giving 
you tWs trojjb|e,is this : 

; Reading; thg other day the Third Vo- 
lume of yo|F,, excellent Difcourfes, as I 
^ «very thing you Write with gregt 
Pleafure and no^lefs Advantage 5 yet 
taking the liberty tljat I life with other 
^ks, J^and yours Qr^i^). bodies wUl 

w. -. ' bear 



the Love of GOD. g 

l>ear it) to rai(fe all the Objeftfons that 
evef I can, apd to make theti updergo 
the fevereft Teft mf Thoughts cap put 
\m to, befote they pafe for euitant, a 
difficulty arofe, which witjiqiit your 
affiftapce 1 know not how to folve. 

Methinks there is all the reafon in the 
World to conclude, Tkat GOD f^ the 
bniy efficient Caufe of mU qnr Seftfitiont^ 

you li^ve made it as clear as the Dajr 5 
and it is equally clear from the Letter' 
of the Comtiiaixdment, Thdt GOD h 
not only the ^ncip4^ l>^t the fol^ Objei^ 
of our Love : Bijt the reafon you affign 
for it, namely, B^caufe he i(p the only e^^ 
cieM Cdufe of, our Pleafure^ fefems nqt 
equally clear. For, if we muft LoVe no- 
thing but what is tovely, -pnd nothing is 
Lovely but what is our Qood, and no- 
thing IS our Good but what dops us 
Good, and nothing does us Good but 
what caufes plcadife in us 5 may we no!E 
by the fame \Yay 6f arguing lay. That 
that which Caufes Pain in us does iiot d6 
tis Good, ffor ijothlng you fay does us 
Oood but what Caules Pleafure) and 
therefore can*t be our Good, and if not 
our Good then not Lovely, and ccmftf* 
qucntly not the. ptoper/ much iefs the 
only Objed of our Love. Agam, if 

B 3 the 



/ 



4 Letters concerning 

the Author of our Pleafure be upon that 
account the only Objcft of our Love, 
then by the fame reafon the Author of 
our Pain can't be the Objeft of our 
Love 5 and if both thefe Senfations be 
produced by the fame Caufe, then that 
Caufe is at once the OWeft of our Love, 
and of our Averfion 5 tor it is as natu- 
ral to avoid and fly from Pain, as it is 
to follow and purfue Pleafure. 

So that if thefe Principles, viz. That 
GOD k the Efficient Caufe of our Sen/a^ 
tions^ Pain as well as Pleafure : And that 
he is the only ObjeS of our Love^ be firm 
and true, as I believe they are 5 it wiU 
then follow, either that the being the 
Caufe of our Pleafure is not the true 
and proper Reafon why that Caufe ftiould 
be the Objeft of our Love, (for the Au- 
thor of our Pain has as good a Title to 
our Love as the Author of our Pleafure 5 ) 
Or elfe, if nothing be the Objeft of our 
Love but what does us Good, then fom(>- 
thing elfe does us Good, befides what 
caufes Pleafure. Or to fpeak more pro- 
perly, the Caufe of all our Senfations, 
Pain as well as Pleafure being the only 
Objed of our Love, and nothing being 
Lovely but what does us Good, confe- 
qucntly, that which Caufes Pain does us 

' Good 



tbi Love of GOD. 5 

Good as well as that which CaufesF lea- 
fure 5 and therefore it can't be true. 
That nothing does us Qood, but what 
Caufes Pleafure. 

Perhaps I have exprefsM ray felf but 
crudely, yet I am perfuaded I've faid 
enough for one of your Quicknefs to 
find out either the ftrength or weaknefs 
of this Obje&ion. I (hall not therefore 
trouble you any further, but to beg Par- 
don for this, and to wifh you all imagi- 
nable Happinefs, if it be not abfurd to 
wifli Felicity to one who already poifefles 
a Virtuous, Large and Contemplative 
Soul, and a quiet convenient Retirement, 
which is indeed all the Happinefs that 
can be had on this fide Heaven, and to 
fubfcribe my felf 

Honoured Sir, 



^ittbWt Y^"^ S^^^' Admirer 

and moft humble Servant. 



St. Mattbew"% 
pay, 1691 



LET- 



$ Litters (mcernir^ 

r 

LETTER IL 

Mn NorrisV Anfmr, 

T Hough in Civility to youF Pferfon, 
my Aufwer ought to have been 
more fpcedy^ yet confidering the wcigjtit 
of your Letter, I tliink it cannot bp well 
too flow, and I hope you will in Equity, 
allow me fqme time to recover my felf 
put of that wonder I was caft into, to 
fee fach a Letter fropi a Woman, befides 
what was neceflary to confider the great 
and furprifing Contents of it. I findyou 
throughly comprehend the Argument of 
iny pifcourfe, in that you have pitched 
upoQ the only material Objedioij to 
which it is liable 5 which you have alfq 
prefsM fo well, and fo very home, that 
I can't but greatly admire the Light and 
l^enetratiori of your Spirit. One of your 
clear and exaft thoughts might eafily fa^ 
^isfie your felf in any Difficulty that fhall 
pome in your way, as having bfightnefs 
pnough of your own to difpel any Cloud 
\M my ft m^ th^. Face of Truth 5 



ihe Love of GOD^ 7 

biit however^fincc yoa have condefqended 
to apply yotir felf to nic/for Satisfaftidn, 
I (hall endeavour as \vc}( as I can to folye 
the Difficulty you propbfe. 

I obfetve therefore firft of all, that you 
grant the two main things contended for^ 
"viz. Thdt God k the only Efficient Cmfe 
of dl our Senfutions 3 and that by the 
Letter of the Commandment, GOD on^ht 

to be the Sdte ObjeH of onr Lxwe. Only 
you fay, ^^i the Reafon I aflign far it 
jfeems not ecjually Clear, by which I fup7 
pofe you tnean, that it does not feem to 
foHow frow Cod's being the only Cauf6 
pf our Senfetions,. that, he is the only 
Objea oi our Love 3 O^ that G O D is 
tiot therefore the only* Objed of our 
Love, becaufe he is the only Caufe of 
our Senfations 3 that is in fliort, yoa 
grant the things, but you queftion , A?. 
Connexion. 

Now before I confider the Objeftion 
you urge againft it, give me leave to tell 
you that I think it very clear. That nd^ 
Abfolute, but Relative Good is the For^ 
mal Objeftof our Love 5 that is. that we 
love a thing not as it is* good lii it felF, 
but as *tis good to us 5 and confecjuently, 
GOD is the Objeft of our Love, not as 
}ie is Abfolut^ly, but as he is Relatively 

B 4 Good, 



8 Letters concerning 

Good, as he is our Good, or Good to 
us. For to Love GO D is to defire him 
as our Good. 1 do not deny but that the 
Afefolute goodnefs of GOD, the Natural 
Perfeftion of his Effence, is alfo the true 
Objcd of our Love 5 but not as Abfolute, 
but as Relative 5 that is, not as 'tis a Per- 
fedion in him, but as the fame may be 
a Perfeftion to us, as it makes us more 
happy by the Pleafure that we take either 
in the Contemplation, or in the Fruition 
of fo glorious and excellent a Being. So 
that the abfolute Perfeftion of GOD muft 
become relative before it can be the Ob- 
Jed of our Love. 

Indeed, fas M. Malebranche Obferves) 

'when in thinking upon 

5cc his r^i/e if GOD, we confider no- 

male. Part .d. ^j^.^^ j^^^ ^^ .^g^^^ ^^^ 

lity CM- Perfedion, we are 
ready to acknowledg that Order requires 
we fhould eficMz him infinitely. But from 
this alone we do not neceflarily conclude 
that we fliould adpre him, fear him. Love 
him, &c. GOD confidered only in him- 
self, or without any Relation to us, does 
not excite thofe movements of the Soul 
which tranfport it to Good, or tq the 
Caiife of its Happinefs. Nothing indeed 
i? rijore clear, tjjap that a Being infinitely 
' \ Perfeft, 



the Love of GOD. 9 

Perfed, ought to be infinitely EjieenPd 5 
and I am apt to believe, that there is no 
Spirit that can refufe GOD this fpecula- 
dve Devoir, as confiftingonly in a finiple 
Judgment, which is not in our power to 
fufpend when the Evidence is intire^ So 
that even wicked Men, thofe who have 
no Religion, thofe who deny Providence, 
may be fupposM voluntarily to render 
GOD this fort of Devoir. But then 
fuppofiiig withall, that GOD fhow 
perfea and good foever in himfelf) does 
not at all interefs or concern himfelf with 
us or our Affairs 5 and that he is not the 
true and immediate Caufe of all the good 
which they enjoy, notwithftanding the 
Notion they have of the Abfolpte Per- 
feftion of GOD, they confider him not 
as their good, and accordingly do not 
apply themfelves to the Love of him, but 
brutally follow the agreeable movements 
of their P^ffions. From all which it 
is clear, that GOD is to be loved not 
for his Abfolut^, but for his Relative 
goodnefs. 

Now if it be true in the general, that 
Relative good is the Objeft of Love, and 
that GOD is to be lov*d as, and becaufe 
he is CMir good^ then it will follow, that 
jf poo pnly be oar ^W, or thp Aur 

thor 



lo Letters eoncerhing 

thor of goad to us, thefts GOD only is 
to be lovM by us. And fo the other 
way, that if COD only be to hk lov'd 
by us, it muft be, it can be upon rio 
other account than as and becaufe he only 
h our goad^ as being the only true Caufe 
of our Pleafore. And I cannot imagine 
upon what other ground you can caft out 
Obligaticm to love GOD only, f which 
you grant to be the literal import of the 
Commandment) if not upon this, that he 
only is our good. For as the reafon why 
we are to Love GOD at ali^ is becauft 
he is our good^ fo the reafon why we are 
to Love him only (which fuppofition you 
grant) can be no other, but becaufe he 
only is our good. And fince he cannot 
be our only good any otherwife, than as 
he is the only true Caufe of our Pleafure, 
|t follows, that his being the only true 
Caufe of our Pleafure, is the true reafon 
why he ought to be the only Objed of 
our Love. This t think, is clear and 
evident, and therefore though I fliould 
reft here, ^as not being able to Anfwer all 
the Objeftions to the contrary, this ought 
not to be any prejudice to the Truth of 
what is maintained. iFor this I take to be 
a fure Rule, that we are tp ftick fo what 
we clearly fee, notwithftAnding any Ob* 

jeftioQ 



th Lope of GOD. II 

jedion that may be brougjht againft it, 
and not rej^d what is evident, for the 
fake of wh^t is obfcure, it being very 
poffible for a Man to be in fure and 
certain poifeffion of a Truth, though at- 
teiKled with fome DiflSculties which he 
knows not well how to folve* But Jet us 
fee whether yours are of that Nature. 

You fay, if we rauft Love nothing but 
what is Lovely, and nothing be Lovely 
but what is our goed^ and nothing is our 
good but what does us g0od^ and nothing 
does us good but what caufe$ Pleafure hi 
ui, may we not by the fapie way of argu^ 
ing prove, that whit caufes Fain in us 
does not do us good^ and therefore can't 
be our gwd j and if not om good then not 
Lovely, and confequcntly is not the pro- 
per, much le(s the only Objeft of cm 
Love ? True, it is not fo &r as it caufes' 
Pain ^ for thecaufingof Patnasfuch, can 
be no ^afon of Love. But I fuppofe your 
meaning is, whether we may not by the 
fame way of arguing pnove , that what 
jcaufes Pain is not at all the Objeft of 
Love ? To which I Anfwer, That if that 
which caufes Pain does it iij all refpoAs 
after die fame manner as it caufes Plea** 
fure, the cauiing of Pain will^ for ought 
\ fan at prei^iit fef to tbe conirary, be as 

good 



1 



1 7 Letters concerning 

gcxxl an Argument for its not being to be 
lovM, as its caufing Pleafure is for its be- 
ing to be loved. But thus it is not in the 
jM"efent Suppofition. Though I acknow- 
ledge Pain to be as truly the EfFed of 
C O D as Pleafure (for I know not what 

• clfe fiiouM caufe it) yet it is not after the 
fame manner the Effeft of GOD as Plea- 
fure is. Pleafure is the natural, genuine 
and direft Effeft of GO D,but Pain comes 
from him only indirectly and by Accident. 
For firft, 'tis of the proper Nature of 
GOD to produce Pleafure, as confifting 
of fuch eflential Excellencies and Per- 
feftions as will necefl&rily beatifie and 

' make happy thofe Spirits, who are, by 
being in their true rational Order, duly 
difpos'd for the Enjoyment of him. But 
if this fame excellent Nature occafion 
pain to other Spiritis, this is only indi- 
reftly and by Accident, by reafon of 
their Moral Indifpofition for fo So^reign 
a Good. Again, as 'tis thus in Reference 
to the Nature of GOD, fo in Reference 
to his Will. GOD'S antecedent and 
primary Defign is the Happinefs of all 
his Creatures (for 'twas for this that he 
made them) but if any of them, in the 
event prove miferable, 'tis wholly befides 
his firft Delign, and only by a fubfequent 

and 



the Love of GOD. i) 

and fecondary Will. Again, when GOD 
caufes Plcafure, 'tis becaufe he wills it 
for its felf, and naturally delights in it^ 
as comporting with his primary De%a 
which isi the Happinefs of his Creatures 5 
but when he caufes Pain, 'tis not that 
he wills it from within, or for it felf 
(for fo 'tis not at all lovely) but only 
IrcMn without, and for the fake of fome- 
thing elfe ?s it is neceffary to the Order 
of his Ji|ftice» For you are to confider, 
that if there had been no Sin, there wouM 
never have been fudi a thing as Pain, 
which is a plain Argument that GOD 
wills our Pleafure as we are Creatures, 
and our Pain only as we are Sinners. But 
now in meafuring our Devoirs to G O D, 
we are not to confider how he ftands 
affeded to us as Sinners, but how he 
ftands afFeded ta us as Creatures, how 
he is difpofed towards us as we are &ix 
Work,and not as we have made our felves. 
And therefore. if as Creatures he Loves us, 
and Wills our Happinefs, that lays a 
fuflScient . Foundation for our Love to him ^ 
and 'tis not his treating us with Evil as 
Sinners that can overturn it. 

Indeed if GOD had defigned us for 
mifery, and inflicted it upon us as Crea« 
tures, if this had been his primary and 

direft 



r 



1 4 Letters cbncerning ^ 

direct Intention, his Na,tural and Opigteal 
Will, according to the fyfteme of thofeJ 
who fay. That OOD maie Men on pnr^ 
pofe to Damn them^ then indeed I fee no^ 
thing that fliould hinder your Objeftwii 
from taking place, GOD would not then 
be the proper, much lefs fas you fayj 
the only Objed of oiir t^ve, at leaft ^ 
to thofe miferable Wretches fo deftirj^fl 
to Ruin, which by the way is to mc a 
Demonftration of the falfhood of that 
ftrange Hypothefis.. But upon the Sup- 
pofition, that GOD wills an<J causes 
Pleafure in us asf Creatures, and puts us 
to Pain only as Sinners, there will not 
be the fame reafon for our not loving 
him upon the account of his being the 
Author of our Pain^ as for our lovin] 
him as the Author of our Pleafure an( 
Happinefs. For we ftand obliged tq 
OOD as we are Creatures, and if in that 
Relation GOD be our Benefaiftor, and 
the Author of our gpo^^ he has a fuflScienc 
Right 5 and if the only Author, the 
oiily Right to our Love, though as Sin- 
ners he puts us to Pain, which b?ing thus 
will'd aod effe£ifedf by GOD after a man-» 
iier fo different from our Phajhre, cannot 
fo well conclude for our not loving him, 
as this does: for *our -loving him* Which 

, may 



the Love (f GO JX 15 

mjiy ferve to take off the force of yadt 
firft lnftao€e. 

And will be equally applicable to your 
fccoBid, For vbereas you further urge^ 
t;hat if both thefe Senfations, (viz». Plea^ 
fhve and Pm) be produced by the fame 
Cmfe^ then th^t Caufe is at onee the Ob-> 
jeft of bur Love and of oor Averfion : I 
anfwer by tiie fame Piftin^iioo, that if 
Wth thefe Scnfatiom were to be produced 
% the ferae Caufe^ afting alike in the 
one as in the other, it would be as you 
fay. But fince it is otherwife as I have 
re^efented it, all that yoa can argue 
from GOD'S being the Author of our 
9am as well as Pleafkre will he this. That 
he is juftly to be the Objed of our Fear. 
b!4t not OX our Averfion. We are indeea 
to Fear hiip, and him only, as being the 
trne Caufi of all Paift, and only able to 
make us miferable, according to that of 
oijr Saviour, I vnU prewam jo% whom ye 

jbdUfear^ ,^c. But this h no reafon why 
we ihould hate him, as never, inflifting it 
but when Of der and Juftice require it. 
And if he djd not ii^ft it then he would 
be lefs perf eft, ajtid confequeatly lefs 
amiable an the view of all regular and 
yrell-ordefd Spirits. I fliall not deter^ 

tnine any thing concerniBg the Cafe of 

the 



1 6 Letters concerning 

the DamnM, whether that invincible Love 
which they have for Happinefs may not 
infpire them with an invincible hatred 
againft him who is the Caufe of their 
Mifery. Perhaps it may be fo. Though 
whether it (hould be fo!, and whether 
they do not fin Eternally in fo doing is 
another Queftion, But I fhall determine 
nothing here, thinking it fufScient for 
my prefcnt purpofe, that this is po reafon 
why GOD (hould be the Objeft of any 
Mans Averfion in this Life, whom as the 
Author of Pain we are indeed to Fear, 
but not to Hate, for the Reafons befcM-e 
alledged. 

Now as to your laft Inftance, That if 
thefe Principles, vi%. That GOD is the 
Efficient Caufe of our Senfations^Pain as well 
at PleafHre^ ^nd that he is to be the dnty 
OhjeS of our Love^ be firm and true, it 
will then follow, either that the being 
the Caufe of our Pleafure fthe doing us 
good you (hould fay to make a right An- 
tithefisj is not the true and proper reafon 
why that Caufe (hould be the Objeft of 
our Love, or elfe if it be, then fomething 
elfe does us Good befides that which 
caufes our Pleafure 5 or as you otherwife 
word it, That which caufes Pain does us 
Good as well as that which produces 

Pleafure, 



the Love of GOD. 17 

Pfeature, I think neither of thefe Con* 
fequ6nces need be admitted. Not the 
Firft, becaufe I have (hewn you, That 
God's being the Caufe of our Pleafure is 
a fufficient and proper reafon why he 
fiiould be the Objed of our Love, not- 
withftanding that Pain which is alfo, but 
after a difrerent manner caused by him. 
As to what you fuggeft to the contrary,' 
namely, That the Author of our Pain 
has as good a Title to our Love as the 
Author of our Pleafure : 'Tis true, he 
that is the Author of our Pairi has as 
;ood a Title to. it as the Author of our 
leafure, becaufe they are both one and 
the fame 5 but not as he is the Author of 
our Pain. He has a Title to our Love 
not far that, but mtwithflandin^ that. 'Tis 
his being the caufe of our Pleafure that 
tnakes him the proper Ob^ed of our 
Love 5 which he is, notwirhftanding his 
being alfo the Author of Pain. But then 
fay you, if his ^doing us good be the rea- 
fon of his being the Objeft of our Love, 
then fomethihg elfe does us good befides 
tiiat which caufes our Pleafure, namely 
Pain, the Canfe of our S6n fat ions. Pain 
as well as Pleafure being the Objed! of 
oar Love. I Anfwer, Pain may in fome 
fenfe be faid to do us ^ood, as it may 

C occaiion 



1 8 Litters comet fiiti^ . 

occafion to as foipe good that fxceedj it$ 
own proper g^vil. Bat ibrmally and dn 
redly it does not 4o us gopd^ «$ not inti 
king ns while afiualiy undjer it, Happy 
but Mifer^ble, Nor is there .need that 
upon our Suppofition it ilK)uld^ Qod beii^ 
Mciently lovely to us as the Author c^ 
pur Pleafure, to which we need not aM 
the advantage that may accrue by Pakt^ 
or fuppofe Pain to be in it felf as Bendfe 
cial as Pleafure, 'tis enougjb if the Evil 
of the former does not fruftrate the Ob- 
ligation that arifes from the good of the 
latten As I have (hewn you that it does 
not. 

But after all Madam, there is one thing 
I muft further offer to yotir Confideration, 
viz. That your Obje&ion, whatever force 
it may have, is not peculiarly levelled 
againft me, but lies equally againft all 
thofe who make the lovelindTs of God to 
confift in his Relative Ooodnefs, or in 
his being our Good, who I think are die 
mod, at leaft the moft confidierable. ThoTe 
of the common way fay, God is to be 
LovM becaufe he is our Good, or the 
Author of our Good 5 which Nodoii I 
think right,. but only add to it^ That he 
is the oftly Author of otir Good, and 
therefore the oftlj ObjoGt of our Love. 

In 



the XtfW 9/ GOt>. 19 

In which Argument I fuppofe, thefe Men 
would not aeny the Confequence, (as 
being die fame vwth their own J but only 
the minor Propofition. But now if it be 
an Objedion^ agtinft iof Ndtiob," That 
Gdd48alfo thCnAatlitor of Etil; then the 
^atut 1 Vfill ao! kOf ' condude ' againft tfat 
fiamxaiki y^kfj^ trormg as mdch tfaat,Ood 
^pugltnbt to be lov'd at all,;ia$ithatlifc 
ooghfc not toib&'-lwf'd only. ' I fay it 
9»QVes one ai vr^l ^ the othbr, ^^i^h I 
think if you irtli attend to what^I thave 
<iffi»^4^you will €ncf that ir ptenne^ aeithef . 
? '- MAdan^ I hive ftid all Ait at pwfeiit 
•occfatfe«6 toy thoughts upou.dils ^kcafion, 
■artdr«hiak,a8'ftfOch'as'ls necefleft-y and 
haiie smr &jfly fo tMnk yoU for the<gfeat 
•fkvoor of TjrdQr Letter, afliiring yoct that 
^t^heit w y6U ^baXV be pleasM to do me 
that Honour again, you (hall have a 
fpeedier Anfwer from 

MadaWy 



«jw»*«». Your very humble Servant 

J. NORRIS, 



•T j .1 C a Foftfcrij^t, 



r » 



do Letters conctrning 

■ 

Pofifcrifu 



ONE Coniideradon mott, Whfio 
you fpeak of GOD^s being.' tfce 
caufeofPain, either you mean at to ti^ 
Life, or a^ to the next. IS as to the/next^ 
thatr has nothing to do with the Kkatf 
that we owe himhete. If as to the pi»- 
fent life, the pain that God infli^ upoq^ 
us here; is only Medichial, and in order 
to our greater good, and confequei:^ 
from a Principle of Kindnefs. And I 
think, fetting afide my other Coi^derd- 
tions^ there will be no more pretence fyr 
not loving or hating God for this, than 
for hating our Phyfician or Surgeon fer 
putting us ro pain in order to our Health 
or Cure. 






mmt 



LET- 



tb^ Love of GOD* a i 

;. t ETT ER 111, 
! ' To Mr. Norris. 

• * • 

^^OU fee how greedily I embrace tho 
I advantageous Oflfer yoa made me 
in'the Clofe of your excellent Letter t, fat 
wMch i would retiirn fome Acknowledg-> 
meiits, but that I want Expreffions faita-^ 
ble t6 iis Valub atidr my Refentments. ^k>i 
is flielre aiiy thihg in it from which I caq 
with-hold my Aumt^ but that too favou- 
fkbie Opinion you "^m to have conceiv'd 
6f' a 'Perfon who has nothing confiderable 
ihlieiibut an honeft Heart, andaLpveto 
Trt*h; I am therefore exceeding glad to 
fifcl this noble and neceflary Theofy,7T54/ 

t^d if fht file Ohje& of mr Low, fo weH 

eftkbtUhM. Indeed any one of the diree 
PHiidjpfes you ar^ from in your Printed 
Dl^urfe, is a fuikient ground Jbr that 
Gondufion 5 it may 4)e ^ngly in!fei^dboi^ 
if i^om-jOod*s being the Author of onrtxjvir, 
•^adcJ^fiom'the C^ligatidn we are under of 
conforming to his Will, as well as fronii 
iiii<6)skj^ the tritb ^dfe of oup Pleafore, 
^t '^kitly they ara Intfragable 3' ind t 



ax Letters cmcemmg , 

have nothing more left to wifh, but that 
it were as eafie to perfwade Mea to fix the 
whole weight of their Defire oa their 
Maker, as it is to Demonftrate that they 
ought to do it. For when all is faid, and 
all conclufions art tried, there is no reft, 
no latisfaftion for the Soul of Ma^i ,but 
in hecObdj (he can never be^ in Pl^ine 
sor at Eafe, but when ^ moves with |er 
IqH bent and inclinat^a diredily to«^4$ 
faim, ; and abfolutelyr ai^^^ttrdy ie§i^^ 
on ; JaiBi , Tet I am v^y . well pfe^s'd ^^ 
I made the Ob^ion which yon Japiiff j^ ' 
wdllTQfoIv'd, becaufe it has pfo^uj^.^pje 
a d«atr and acciqsaDe ,aeci9ijnt of -:wfha^!f>9f 
f6re I:lM only im ^<x^k ^ :k|c}i(^(fif^ 
Notion j randh$$b^u{i.a Correrp<^Qnqe> 
wJrichj, • if it may be , continue^i. ! ^ .flialj 
reckon the greats^ a^vanfi^ tlip.t c^ ^ 
&R inc. For thou^ by <)bfefvjag ]t|^ 
Rjde& ; :yoa have , alreajy .tpiiriioji' J vJSr 
Wnifcld w^, I rm^i^My\]M\m 
TnMih,; -jfit: I can't'; be 9ffw*d i;f^r<J<>Pf 
fa, bcmg^too apt'tQrtffpQft; wypwaJKp*- 
tiotts ineteljr for : betog any owi?i' b#o# 
Aey am jjafs fo: uiraQ} , » XowhrC^Wf )95 
yourlJodijBen*, clJhallAiitithmitibiftaBifEjr « 
IwBftwbefto.-them^tfiV/ grd oi ^sairmdinnj 
iS&> jbt aDDri6rQftijthii*jflgoii^f(Gl^©fP 
l)6ng ^l</bifiii6fi0tf' mir f^, -Ifc^df juft 

•-•v'lii g linpe- 



the Love of 0D» 1^ 

Impediment to our entire Love of him, 

that Vm almoft perfwaded to rank it 

among the Motives to it. For thouglj 

Plain confidered abftradied^y is not a 

Coody yet it way be fo circmnftantiated^ 

and always * when G O £> ihffid? it, as 

to be a C5ood. To the pioiTS Man it is Co 

both in the Intention and i;i the Event 5 

anid thou^ inflifted as a Punifliment oft 

wicked Men, it is however materially 

^ood, bdng (as you obferve) an Aft of 

GOD*s Juftice. . And ! thinly it is an 

unqueftionable Maxim, that aH our Good 

is ^liolly ' and abfolutely * from G OD, 

and all our Evil purely and intirefy from 

oer (elves. Whatever Methods GOD 

itfes to draw us to himfelf, I am fully 

perfWaded are good -in themfdves and 

good for us, hding they proceed from 

infinite Goodnefs and tend towards it 

Arid therdfbre^iinee he has thacl9 us paf^ 

(tWe only for our good, and Vdefigned 

Pain as well as Ple^fure in order to our 

Happlnefs, that? by thefe two different 

ifendles he midvt the better move and 

dfreft our Soa6 towards himifcif ; their 

tr«e and only Felicity^ I fee ifoxealbii 

Wit to conchjde that he is^ evei^r* ^Mt as 

kJvely when he produces Tsdti as when 

^ "taiifes Pleafure. -"^ ' ^ 

C 4 For 



14- Letters concerning 

For the Truth is, my Letter was priiir 
cipally defigped in Favour of a Notion 
which I have entertainM, (and which you 
further confirm me in by what you add iij 
your PoftfcriptJ viz. That Afflidions, by 
which we ufually underftand fomething 
Painful, are not Evil but Good^ which at 
iirft feem'd to be contradided by your 

Ailertion, That natbing does us go^d hut 
vphat cdufes Pleafure^ though Upon fecond 
thoughts I think they are confiftent 
enough. And if there be any ihadow of 
a difference, I fuppofe it arifes only from 
the equivocajnefs of the words Plespire 
and Pain^ as in truth our miftak^ are 
chiefly pwing to our cncumbring om 
word with divers Ideas, moft of the. Con- 
troverfies that are in the World being in 
niy Opinion, rather about yfor^s tbn 
things. 

By Pleafure I fuppofe you mean in ger 
neral, all tl;ofe grateful Senfatiops which 
Mankind is capable of 5 that is, ^11 fu^h 
9S are tryly agreeable to our Nature ; 
For I know not how it can confift v^itlj 
the purity of the moft holy GOD,^ fp 
fgy, he'.;^ the Author of thofe .pleafing 
Senfatipris wicked Men do, or pnt^nditg 
feel in w&^t wq call finfiil Pleafure^ : Ip 
th4( we muu ei£her conclude, that GPIP( 



the Lofve of GOV, 25 

iff not the Author of thefe irregular Sen-r 
fations, or elfe that they sat not Plea- 
fures. I am for the latter, and do indeed 
thinH it the greateft nonfenfe in tho 
World to call any thing that is (inful 
{deafant. 

Fain you tell us, is nothing elfe but 9 
difagreeable Modification of the Soul, an 
ui^afie Thouglit occafion'd by fome out^ 
ward Bodily Impreflion. In which Dct 
finition there are two things conGderable, 
the Bodily Impreflion, and the uneafie 
Thougjiit that is consequent thereuntOi 
And when you fay that G OD is the Au- 
thor of Pain, I fuppofe you mean no 
more than that an uneafie Thought is pror 
dup'd in the Soul pf Man by the PoWtf 
and Will of GOD, at the {)refence and 
by occafion of that Impreflion which 
fenfible Obje&s make upon the. Body. 
Npvp I fupjxjfe that this difagreeable Mo- 
flificjtion is an: the inferiQtur pan of ih^ 
3Qui, th^t whi^ is exercis'd about Objeds 
pf.Senfe, and does not neceffarily and 
diredly affed the fuperioar part, the Un- 
derftaoding aad Will, and therefore is no 
real Evil to th»t. which i? properly ^ 
Man. And this I take to be the right 
l^otion of P^in confidered as a Sciofsition, 
apd 9§ QQQ i^ tljc Autllpr «f jt 5 hul 

then 



/ 



36 Letters concerning 

then I deny that in this fehfe it is'ftriftly 
and properly an Evil. 

Now as this Senfation wMch for di* 
ftinftion fake I will beg leave to call fen^ 
fibh or Bodily Pain is occafidned by fonie 
diforder in the parts of the Body, or elft 
by the prefence of fomething difagreeable, 
or abfence of fomething neceflary to thd 
well-being of the Bodily Frame r In Ifte 
manner, when the Underftanding and 
Will deviate from the Order and Per- 
feftion of their iNature, and ate deftitute 
of their proper good, they are as truly 
(and if they be in Health as^ fenfiblyj 
aflfefted with Pain, as the Body is vfhtOi 
k fufiers the above-mentidiied difprilacence^. 
This J call mental Pain, and do reckon ^ 
the (Mily proper Evil of a Man, bodi be^ 
caufe the Mind being the IVfen^ nothing \% 
truly and- prbperly his Good or Evil, but 
9S it refpeSts his Mind 5 as ^o becaike ib 
kmg as -he^ is under it, 'tis impoffible for 
\km to eftj<iy'afiy degree of real Happi- 
hefs. For where there is a trae Vita! 
Principle^ ' W^here the SoiA is not quke 
inoriifiedj^ratleaft Paraly tick and Difeasy; 
Wllas^afnly feel Pain A^'heh ^tis tlw^ 
out of its P^ttiral OrcJer, and does, hot 
itiove towards GOD the true Terra of 
te^Moi^on, as its Bdd^ wlU^ when^ its 

Membeis 



tbf Love ^f OOp, yj 

Memb8K?re 4iftoited ^ will be as-fenfiUy 
a£^^4~fii^cravingaiicl vu^fati^fied defires 
w^rdi^^e of tbe Qrace of GOD» 
^ f^^^f plgneat of the Soul, as that is 
wiw .i)^i%^ .and Tljirft 'when in lack of 
i^<^p<^arj?,f'ood \ and wiU feel the fame 
il]M^^;^il^r$ and dsurknefs come* upon 
iit wl^depriTcd of the U^t of GOp's 
Cooatfnapcey^i^t its inferiour part does 
vi^en it \f 9|its the $un's corpfortaUe and 
^H^iming Eieains. And this I take to be 
^..tr^&'ineaiung oS. what fome People. 
Gs^ll DqiMion 5 it beisg as neceifary to 
t{i^,$qfil,,4o feel Pain and T<Hnient when 
ibe,dQ^ jip^-ikand r^htlj afiPeded to her 
G-OiPi fM> 1^^ h^ ^Body Iks under Si£|:> 
Qdfs <qc .Qitfwiu'd Violence .* And in pro- 
poritiqKii pa thie healtii >Qf 4ie Soul, and ^ 
fqeo^s^of its Cqmpie^os^ fo is the de->. 
grejpoljiti Pain when interrupted in its 
M«>tw loiJi'llds him.- , r- ! 

.^t fcasc^JpD in ?^ (cafe be faiid^.to 
bejtljft Awfepr^f^his Fb^^ Hath he no( 
ti^»(«|lrth^4^re tlytt jifr -oQufiftent with 
^tl^^i^iiiQ had} |;^ven ^s to fecure qs 

ffPXifeH <P BRP^Mit vfiqrffejll^ lajto t|)$) 
^i|^#¥Hi^»|c^gilyr«te9dejl,jyiife 
«^Q«J* I^ 5 jfo ttejr'iyheiieyer i^e]^ 

;t.:-> Folly. 



iS Liters concerning • 

Folly. For though it be fometitnes ikid' 
that GOD does arbitrarily Witlidraw the 
chearing Beams of his Coumenance,whrch 
cannot but be unease to us fo long as 
we are under that Eclipfej yet fw tAj 
Own part, I cannot think that lie ever 
does it unlefs to quicken our D^fires and 
exereife our Graces j and then, fince 'tis 
in order to our greater good, it cannot 
ftriaiy and abfolutely be calPd •>» Evil. 
Or elfe, 'tis the noifom Vapcwips of our 
Sins^ that raife a Cloud betwefen us and' 
the Sun of Righteoufnefs, which bein^ 
our 6wn fault, we only are to be blam'd 
for it. NoF do I believe G01> ever de- 
nies his Grace to any but fuchr as have iSrft 
^trilfuny^ obftinately ' and habitually re- 
fosM it So that in fine, mentfal Paib i^ 
neither more ncf left than Sfiri, which t 
take to be the true and only Evil bf- a 
Man. F6r as nothing is good to|: GOD, 
fomrthing is eflfeiitialtyevill)ut^n,4>ecaufq 
nbfhidg dfe Ai dkdSAj ' oppbfite W the 
Eflehce of Oooflnefs. Sine* db6ifefore 
OOD can in no manner of W«j lie faid 
to be the Author of Sin, ht canflotbe die 
Ciiifeof ineiital Pain : AndTImow^hQ 
Hypbtpft^ that'idoef >infer itf'kort)*^^^^ 
Piedeftiriariari, ^ whidt for tUiit^ Rea^ 
I' m^ t6 ht Irratidnal ^^BfoFil^, ^ftiul 



* I < 



the Love of GQD. 29 

tan fearce .forbear giving it feverer E-* 
pithets. . : 

The.ftortas, COD ?s the Author of 
pain confideted as a Senfation, and fo he 
|6ofa}Iour Faculties and Powers 5 and 
as it prQCeed$^from him it is^^f^,d€%iiM 
10 do tis. goed^ and thereiforq our ge^d. 
But h^ is QQt the Author of Pam conii^e- 
fi^^s ai} Evily as fuch it is purdy and 
entirely oiwing to our; felves j and fince 
there isrnp^ing truly and abfolutely the 
Qbjeft of the hatred of a Rational Crea- 
ture bur Siny becaufe nothing but that is 
its true and proper Evil, confequently 
CO D's beii^ the Authw of Pain can tie 
no juft baif to. our Love, much kfs any 
motive to pur Hatred or Averfion. 

I Gonfider- further, that though Man 
does naturajly defire Phafunm all hisCa* 
pacitie^^ aiid therefore Indolence is ne* 
ceiBTary to perfeft. Felicity 5 yet fince diere 
is no fuchi thing as perfed Happinefs or 

rfeft Mifery in this Worlds Uiat which 

s a greater degree of good thian of evil 
in it, may properly enough be calPd a 
good J admitting therefore that (enfible 
Pain is difagreeable to the lower Faculties 
of the Soul, yet being it is defigned l^ 
OOD to, better and improve the Spirit 
of the l^ind^ and has a tendency to do 

good 




3 o letters cmcermr^ 

good to our better part, if wfe otir felves 
do not wilfully ooffaruft its opeFatioi»» 
inirapply and abufe thofe opportttBities 
it gives us, I fee no reafon kit we ttiay 
reckota it a good^ and therefore -> Eligible* 
For.tlKMigh Ptutt (as you fay) d^ iio§ 
formally ahd dire^ly do us good^ yet if 
it cannot hindei^.iis of Ple*furef tluit do 
very much oirt- weigh it, aod Is it (eff afi 
Occafion ahd Medium to Pldafkfe, tne^' 
thinks we Iiave no juft Caufe «o-fly it as 
an Evil. Fpr what: though my Body fuifef 
a little Hunger, or Thirft,or Cold, or th^ 
like, (hall I put that petty incMvcniency 
in competition with that moft defidons 
V'leafiire my Mind does, or ftisy at flie 
lame time enjoy in Ads of Lote and Con* 
templatiott ? Nay, even with that Phafure 
which thefe.very inccmvenfenpes occaSon; 
the entire Refigngtion bif my Wfll to 
OOD,^ and the Joy thatarifes from tfiat 
d^li^tfiii; Thought, that I ain capable of 
fuffering ifon^ething ifor i&^ fake, and in 
Conformity to Ms Will: And as k werit 
but a bad bargain to gatd ^. whole 
World by fuffiriiig the feaft molft Or dai 
mage in our Sotilj 5 fo I am petfiKraded 
that the gl-eateft . fenfibfe GaUmrity, nd 
not Death it fdl^ is wbrtliy ^ bb pat hi 
the ballance with the ^ry leaft f|xrittial 

advantage. 



the Ln'e of GOV. 1 1 

advantoge. For ftlas Stfj aS yoti truly! 
fay, this WGrl4 is- a, mere fiiew, k ihadowr^ 
an empdfiefs ! fa little Reafon htve our 
Pretenders to Wit to difcredit every tiling 
that is not the Objeft of Senfe, diat in 
right efUmate Spirits ate the only Reali- 
ties, and oothing does truly and properly 
ooE&Gpa good or evil to us biH: as it 
refpe^ our Minds. kioA. t believe on 
thefe Priiicmles 'twere eafie to dcmonftrate 
that Martytaom is the higheft Pleafure 2 
rational Creature is capable of in thii 
prefent Ststte, « ftrange P^^dox to die 
Wc^ld / But I am confident none to Mr. 
N&rris, who does not ufe to think after 
the vulg^ rate. 

But ^lilft I talk of Paiii, I £)rget hxM 
much you fufier by this tedious Scriti^la. 
If I have faid any thing to the purpofe^ 
^tis becaufe I have your excdlent Lmet 
before me. Chtiinary Writers I can pent*- 
trate at the firft View, but every Perbd 
of yours dilates my Mind, calls it fordi 
to purfue its hicUlen Beauties in a Train 
of fifeful and delightful Thoughts. I 
have brought in my unwrou^t Che to bfe 
refined and made currant by the Bright- 
la&ii of yoor Jiidgitnent, and dtall reckoft 
jt a ^?eat Favour ^ you will give yoiar 

£:lf tibe Tioi&te to pQiolDUt \mf. M>- 

ftakes. 



ja Letters concerning 

ftakes, it being my Ambition not to feetii 
tp be witkout Fault, but if I can, feally 
to be fo, and I know no way more con* 
ducive to that end than the Advantage of 
fach an Inftrudor. 

Pemiit me to add a Word at two itlorcf 
which is of greater Concernment to me 
becaufe of pratftical Conlideration • you 
have fully convinced toe that GOD is 
the only proper Objeft of ihy Love, and 
I am fenfible 'tis the higheft Injuftice to 
him and Unkindnefs to my (elf to defraud 
him of the leaft Part of my Heart 5 but 
I find it more eafie to recognize his Right 
than to fecure the Polfeffion. Though I 
often fay in your Pathetick and Divine 

Words, No J my fair Delight^ I vpHI ntver 
be drawn off from the love of thee by the 
Charms of any of thy Creaturet^ yet alas, 
finfihle Beauty does too often prefs upon 
my Heart, whilft intelligible is difregarded. 
FxMT having by Nature a ftrong Propenfity 
to friendly Love, which I have all along 
encouraged as a good Difpolition to Ver-- 
tue, and do ftill think it fo if it may be 
kept vrithin the due Bounds of Good« 
will : But having likewife ^thought 
till you taught me better, liiat I need 
not cut off ali Diefire from the Creature^ 
provided it were in Subordination to^ and 

for 



the Love of GOD. gg 

for the fake of the Creator : I have con- 
traded fach a Weaknefs, I will not fay by 
Nature (for I believe Nature is often very. 
unjuftly blam'd for what is owing to Wiff 
and Cu^om) but by voluntary Habit, that 
it is a very difficult thing for me to love 
at all, without fomething of Defire. Now 
I am loath to abandon all Thoughts of 
Friendfliip, both becaufe it is one of the 
brighteft Vertues, and becaufe I have the 
noblefl: Defigns in it. Fain wou'd \ refcue 
my Sex, or at leaft as many of them as 
come within my little Sphere, from that 
Meannefs of Spirit into which the Gene- 
rality of them are funk, perfwade them 
to pretend to fome higher Excellency than 
a well-chofen Pettycoat, or a faftiionable 
Commode 5 and not wholly to lay out their 
Time and Care in Adorning their Bodies, 
but to beftow a Part of it at leaft in the 
Embelliftiment of their Minds, (ince inward 
Beauty will laft when outward is decayed. 
But though I can fay without boafting, 
that none ever loved more generoufly 
than I have done, yet perhaps never any 
met with more ungrateful Returns, which 
I can attribute to nothing fo much as the 
Kindnefs of my beft Friend, who faw 
how apt my Defires were to ftray from 
hiqi, zvd therefore by thefe frequent Dif- 

D ' appointments 



5 4 Letters concerning 

appointments would have me learn more 
Wifdan than to let loofe my Heart to 
that which cannot fatisfie. And though! 
have in feme meafure reftified this Fault, 
yet ftill I find an agreeable Movetoetit in 
my Soul towards her I love, and a Dif* 
pleafure and Pain when I meet with Un* 
fcindnefs, which is a (Irong Indication of 
fbmewhat more than pure Benevolence ^ 
* foe there's no Reafon that we (hbiild 
be uneafie becaufe others won't let u$ do 
them all the Good we would. And tho* 
your Diftinftion be very ingenious, ^^ That 
*' ive may feek Creatures fir our Good, 
•• but not love lljem ms our Good 5 yet 
methinks 'tis too nice Ibr common Pradice^ 
and throi^h theE>eceit of ourSenfes, and 
Hurry of our Paflions^ we (hall be too 



* The Writer of this Letter, who docs not think 
her felf obiig'd to perlilt in a Miftake becaufe flic once 
fell into it, Dttt fhall always be glad to be convinced of 
an Error, and to reiradt it, as (be oonfefles fte was 
tntftaken, and exprefs'd her felf crudely in feveral 
places of this Letter, fo flie defires to retrad: what is 
fiud in this : For fhe owns us her Opinion, that next 
10 Sorrow for our own Sins, our Neighbours rehtGng 
to receive the Spiritual Good we wilh them, is the 
jtifteft, greateft, and moft laftingCaufeof Grief; and 
thac though Death, or iboie Temporary Calamities, 
OMy cxcttie a few Temporary Tears, y«t that oiil| 
can challenge a deep and fettled Concern, 



«<N 



apt 



the Love of GOV. ^5 

apt to reckon that our Good whofe Ab- 
fence we find uneafie to us. Be pleafed 
therefore to oblige me with a Remedy for 
this Diforder, fince what you have alrea- 
dy writ has made a confiderable Progrefs 
towards a Cure, but not quite perfeded 
it. Thus you fee Sir, what a Trouble you 
have brought upon your felf by your ob- 
liging Gondefcentions to 

Worthy Sir, 
Mi-iA^M Yquj. jjyjft humble ^ 

and thaiddful Sertttnt» 



. >{ 



AmmA 



* 

.^ A *m.t % «... 



< I 






D a LEf. 



3 6 Letters concerning : 

L £ T T E R IV. 

\ ■ 

Mr. NorrisV Anfwer. 



TH E fincere Love you- feem to have 
for Truth, and the great Progrefs 
you have made in it, together with that 
Angular Aptnefs • of Genius that appeart 
to be in you for further Attainments, 
makes me not only willing to enter into 
a Correfpondence with you, but even to 
congratulate my felf the Opportunity of 
fo uncommon a Happincfs. For the bet- 
ter Improvement of which, and that our 
Correfpondence may be the more ufeful, 
I would defire that it may be cwitinually 
imployed upon ferious and important Sul> 
)eqs, fuch as may deferve the Time, and 
reward the Pains that ftiall be beftowed 
on them, and may occaiion fuch Thoughts 
and Refkftions to pafs between us, as 
may ferve to give true Perfedion and In- 
4argement to the Rational, and right 
Movements and Relifties to the Moral Part 
of our Natures. And (fince I have taken 
upon me to prefcribej I would have thefe 

SubjeAs 



the Love of GOD. 37 

Subjeds ^ell iifted and examined, as wdl 
as well chofen, that fo we may not enter 
upon a new Argument till that which was 
frft undertaken be throughly difcharged, 
wherdby we (hall avoid a Fault vefy in- 
cident to common Converfation fwhere- 
in new QueftionS are ftarted before the 
firft is brought to an HTue) and which 
makes the Difcourfings of the moft intel- 
ligent Perfons turn to To little an account 
But this Fault, fo frequent and almofl; un- 
avoidable in the beft Companies, is eafily 
remedied in Letters 5 and therefore fince 
^e are now fallen upon a noble and fub- 
lime Subjeft, I deflre we may go to the 
Bottom of it, and not commence any new 
Matter till we have gone over all that is 
of material Confideration in this of Di- 
vine Love. 

So much by way of Propofal, I pro- 
ceed now to confider the Contents of 
your prefent Letter, in which I find very 
great and extraordinary things, and fuch 
as will deferve more ,^ and more ftudied 
RefleftioHS than my.fM^efent Lct^q (t 
fear) will permit me to beftow up(i)n fheik 
However I (hall go as fer as my Time and 
Paper will allow, and if you think I leave 
any thing confiderable omitted, th& De- 
feds of this (hall be fupplied in a&otfatt 

D 3 Letter. 



A 



^ 



J 8 Letters eonceming 

Utter. I obferve then th^^ t^^D^ 'ym 
declare your felf (atisfied wi4^ the A&r 
count I gave in ray laft why QQ 0*« b^ 
|ng the Author of Pain (houki nt^ ftnltft 
off that Obligation of Love whidi wai 
grounded upon hi$ being the Caufe ^{ 
the oppc^te Senfation of Pleafore, yet 
(fo greatly are you concerned to have 
that ill Confequence efiedually (hut out) 
you advance another Hypothecs for th* 
Solution qf the Di^ulty. And becau^ 
it is very ingenious and wi^th opr confi* 
dering, I (hall therefore firft of all fet 
down what by comparing the (everol 
Parts of your Letter together I take to be 
your Notion. Which when I have ftated 
and con(idered, I (hall refled uppn f^mie 
fingle Pa(rages in your Letter that relate 
to it. And in this you have the Model of 
the Anfwer that I intend. 

To begin then with an Accouqt gi 
yoiur Notion. Yop di(lii^i(b of two 
Sorts of Pain ^ th^t whidi is {en(ible of 
t)odily, and that which is omental. By fen- 
fible Pain meanii^ that which is in the 
inferiour Part of the Soul, that which is 
exercifed abput Objeds of Senfe 5 and by 
mental Pain that which afibds the fupo* 
riojur and intello&ual Part. Now as for 

fneots) Pkito, that ^ou sUow tq be an 

f^vil, 



thehmeof GOD. %<) 

Evil, and the only proper Evil of Man, 
but then you fay GOD is not the Caufe 
of that. And as for fenfible or bodily 
Pain, that you allow COD to be the 
Caufe of. But then you fay that is not 
truly and really an Evil, as not affeftin^ 
what is properly the Man. And therefore 
though GOD be the true Caufe of Pain 
as well as Pleafure , yet fince the Pain 
wliich he caufes is not of the firft Sort, 
fn%. mental Pain which is an Evil, but 
of the fecond Sort, viz.. fenfible Pain 
which is not the proper Evil of tlje Man, 
this ought to be no Bar to our tove qf 
him, much lefs a Reafon of making him 
the Objeft of our Averfion. This I think 
is in (hort your true Syftem, which ly- 
ing thus in a regular and compendious 
Draught may be the more diftind^ly con* 
fidered, which is the Advantage I aim at 
l^ calling it into this Form. 

My firft Remark. upon this is that your 
Diftiil&ion of fenfible and mental Pain in 
the general is right, and founded in the 
Nature of things. For certainly the Ideas 
of Joy and fenfible Pleafure, Grief and 
bodily Pain are very diftind. Some I 
know that pretend to Philofbphy ton- 
found thefe, making that Pleafure or Pain 
ffuppofe) which a Man feels upon his 

D 4 draw- 



i|,o Letters concerning 

drawing near the Fire to be all one 
Joy or Grief. The Soul knowing (fay 
they) or feeling that the Body which (he 
loves is well or ill difpofed, that there 
happens fprae Good or 111 to its mechani- 
cal Frame, either rejoyces or is grieved at 
it. The one is our Pain, the other our 
Pleafure. But this I take to be grofs Phi-^ 
iofopby, though the Authors of it may 
perhaps think it fine. It is true indeed, 
that as often as the Sentiments of Plea-- 
fure or Pain do give us notice that our 
Bodies are well or ill difpofed, we are 
afFeded with Joy or Grief, but a little 
Refleftion may help us to perceive that 
this Joy and Grief that are the Confe- 
quences of our knowing how *tis with the 
State of our Bodies, differ exceedingly 
from thofe antecedent Pains an J Pleafures 
whence the Information is received : For 
thefe prevent our Reafon, whereas the 
other follow upon it. Pain anticipates all 
Thought or Refle&ion, but Grief fupf 
pofes it, and is grounded Upon it. I grieve 
pecaufe I knpw my felf to be in Pain, or 
becaqfe I exped or fear it ^ whence it-is 
evident that my Grief and my Pain are 
pot one and the fame, but two very dif-^ 
ferenf and diftinft Sentiments. I there-, 
foff allow yoqr piftinftidQ, though I an^ 



the Love of GOD. 41 

not fo well fatisfied with the Ground of 
it. You ground your Diftinftion of men- 
tal and fenfible Pain upon a double Part 
of the Soul, the fuperiour and the infe- 
riour. The Diftinftion is authorifed by 
Cuftora, and (what is more) by you, but 
I muft own to you fincerely, that 1 do not 
underftand it. I have heard much talk of 
this fuperiour and inferiour Part of the 
SouJ, and have thought much about it, 
but cannot for my Life form to my felf a 
clear Idea of any fuch Parts. For befides 
that I think the Soul has no Parts at all, 
if it had, fure they are not fuch diffimi* 
lar and heterogeneous Parts as fuperiour 
and inferiour, intelleftual and fenfitive. 
The Soul I take to be an intire fimple 
uniform EfTence, Intdleftual throughout, 
without any Parts at all, much lefs fuch 
heterogeneous Parts : Nor is there any 
need that it ihould be fuppofed to have 
any fuch for the Eftablifhment of the pre- 
fent Diftinftion. The Diftinftionof Sen- 
timents does not need Diftinftion of Parts 
in the Soul. The fame EfTence of the 
Soul being varioufly modified may be va- 
rioufly affeded, and be capable of diffe- 
rent Sentiments. Being modified thus it 
(hall be aflfefted with Grief^ and being 
modified thus it (ha^l beaffcfted with Pain, 

which 



49 Letters concerning 

which will be fufficiently diftinguiflied 
from each other, by faying that Pain is a 
Modification of the Soul that anticipates 
and prevents all Reafon and Refkoion, 
and that Grief is a Modification that fol- 
lows it, and proceeds from it Thus I 
choofe to diftinguifti them, rather than 
by fubjefting (as you J thefe two Senfati- 
ons in two parts of the Soul, whereof I 
have no Idea ^ or (as others) by calling 
that Pain which the Soul fuflfers by the 
mediation of the Body, and that Grief 
which the fame Soul fuflfers in and by her 
felf without the Mediation of the Body. 
For though according to the Law of this 
State Pain be always occafioned by foitie 
Motion or Change in the Parts of the Bo- 
dy, yet fince *tis the Soul that truly feels 
it, and GOD that truly raifes k^ I can 
eafily conceive, that GOD can^ if he 
pleafes, raife the Senfation of Pain in h^r 
though no Change be mad6 in the Body, 
nay though (he had ho Body at all* That 
GOD for inftance can raife the Senfati* 
on of Burning in the Soul without any 
Impreflion of Fire upon her Body. Which 
by the way may ferve to Ihew the Im* 
pertinency of that Queftion among the 
School-men, how the Soul that is an im* 
material Sufaftance can fufibr when fepa^ 

rate 



the ijwe of QOD. 43 

Kite bjr a material Fire ? For let them 
tell me how Fire aSeds the Soul now (be 
IS ia the Body, and I'll tell them how it 
inay torment it whei^ out of the Body. 
But this by the bye. The thing I direftly 
intei^d is, that fince the Sou^ i^^y be car 
pabk of Pain as well without the Media-^ 
tion of the Body as with it, this cannot 
be its Diftindion from Crief that itafieds 
the Soul by th^ Mediation of the 9ody, 
' But to go on, as I am not fatisfied with 
the Ground of your Diftindion, fo nei^ 
^|;er s^m I with the Ufe and Applicatipii 
you make of it. Men^l Pain fay you if 
a^n Evi^ but fuch as G(X> does not caufe^ 
Again, feniible Pain GOD does indeed 
caufe, but then that is not properly the 
]E)vil of Man. Now I caQQOt accord with 
you in either of thefe- As to the firft, I 
diink it very certain that mental Pain be* 
ing a real Modification of the §oul is 
caufed by GOD, who alone is able to 
new modifi^ our Souls, who only afts 
upon them^ and is able to make then; 
happy (X miferable, as I have fyffidently 
proved in my Difcourfe of Divine Love^ 
and as you will evidently perceive if you 
Ktire within your felf, and attentively 
coafi^lt your Reaibo* And I wooler why 

yo^ ifepoii ^i. to allpw OOP to ^ 

the 



/ 



44 Letters concerning 

the Author of mental F din or Gr/ff,when 
you allow him to be the Caufe of mental 
Pleaffire or Joy. If he be the Caufe of 
our Happinefs, why cannot he be as well 
the Caufe of our Mifery > And if of 
Pain^ why not of Griefs For as to the 
other Part, that fenfibk Pain which God 
caufes is not properly an Evil, you will 
find it very hard to perfwade any one 
that has felt it to this Paradox. That I 
fuppofe which perfwaded you to it was 
your diftinguiihing the Soul of Man into 
two Parts, a fuperiour and an inferiour 
Part, the Latter of which being not prot 
perly the Man, that Pain whith is lodgM 
there cannot be faid to be the proper Evil 
of Man. Thus the Stoicks reafoned of 
old, and thus you now. But befides. that 
this Diftinftion of the Sbul into a fupe-^ 
riour ^nd inferiour Part, * which is ' tlA? 
Ground of this Suppofition, wants it f<?lf 
a good Foundation. I further confider, 
that if there were fuch a thing as an in- 
feriour Part of the Soul, yet fince the 
higher is confcious of and iffeded with 
what is tranfaded in the other, I do not 
fee what Advantage accrues from this Di- 
ftinftion. And fince "tiis the fame Soul 
that feels Pain and Grief, I fee no PofE- 
bility of conceiving but that Pain muft 

be 



the LoveofGOD. 45 

be as truly an Evil as Grief. And if 'twere 
put to my Choice, there are feveral De- 
grees of Grief that I would chufe tpindore 
rather than fome Pains* And I would 
fain know whether Pain be not againft 
the Happinefs of Man, or whether Hap- 
pinefs can cqnfift with it. You your felf 
imply that it cannot, when yqu fay that 
Jndoknce is necejfary toperfiS Felicity. And 

muft not that then be an Evil that is con- 
trary to Happinefs ? And ftibuld you not 
think your felf guilty of offending againft 
that Charity which you owe -to your 
Ffellow^Creatures, and which obliges you 
to wifh and feck their Welfare, if you 
ihould put any- of them without Caufe t<x 
Bodily Pain ? Or would you try to bring 
your felf off by your Diftiuftion of the 
liiperiour and inferiour Part of the Soul > 
That the Pain which you inflifted wa? 
only in the inferiour Part, which being 
ViOt properly the Man, you could not be 
faid to have done any real Evil to hinj, 
and fo not to have trefpaffed againft 
Charity. I believe you have too much 
good Nature as well as Difcemment tq 
ufe fuch a Plea as this .• But now if Paiq 
f)e not a proper and real Evil^ how can it 
be againft Charity to caufe itin anyone > 
For what but willing an £yi| ta a Man 

can 



46 Litters cmtetmrtg 

can be contrary to wUhiag trell to Hm > 
It ffluft therefore be conchided that fen- 
fible Pain is truly an Evil as Mrell as mental^ 
evil I mean in it felf formally and fltnplf 
confidered, and that it can become good 
only occafionally and confequentially, asf 
if may be a Means to avdid a greater 
Evil, or procure a greater Good (and 
fb may mental Pain too) which when all 
is done, I think the beft Apology thte 
can be ofiered for God^s being the Authoi^ 
of it, and to lalve him from being thtf 
Objed of our Averfion tipon that Ac- 
count, «irs. to (ay, that tnough fenfibftf 
Pain be truly an Evil as well as mental, 
and that though G OD be thft true Cau^ 
of both, yet GOD does aoc will o«rf 
Pain as he does our Pleafure and Hstppi- . 
fiefs, for it fetf arid as fuch, but merely 
for the fake of fomething elfe, as it Is a 
means to onf greater good. And is there^ 
ftwe fo far frcMn meriting our Bfetred fo# 
the Pain wMch he caufes in us, that hd 
otaght for that very reafon to be loved by 
OS, fince 'tfe for the fake of Pleafure that 
he caufes Pain, This I take to be thd 
moft fatisfedbry Account of the Difficnky, 
Tt'hich as it refolves into what I offered is 
my Jaft, fo 'tis what you yoitf felf think 
fit after all to take up with^ as your laft 

Expe- 



the Lt^ve of GOD. 47 

Expedient toward the latter Part of your 
Letter, vfrhere indeed you deliver your feli 
very nobly upon this Occalion. 

Madath, I have noW done with the 
Body of yout Notion, and have now only 
to coniider fome loofer Parts tliat relate to 
it. You fay you think it an unqueftionable 
Maxim that all our Good is wholly and 
abfolutely fi'om GOD, and all our Evil 
purely and intirely from our felves. The 
former Part of this I abfolutely allow and 
contend for, concerning the latter I 
di(Unguifh,when you fay that all our Evil 
is purely and intirely from our felves, if 
you mean of monal Evil I grant it, but if 
you mean df natural . Evils then I muil^ 
diftinguiih agaiii upon the Words fro^ Mr 
fetvei^ whidi may fignifie either a phyfical 
or moral, or if you will, an efficient or a 
meritorious Caufality. We are certainly 
the meritorious Caufes of all out natural 
Evils, as bringing them upon us by our 
Sins, but that we are the efficient Cz\x{t% 
of any of them I deny. As all our good 
is wholly from GOD, fo in this Senfe is 
aMb our evil. We have not the Powcif 
to modifie our own Souls, and can no 
more raife the Senfation of Pacin in thefn 
than that ofPieaftjrc, GOD is the true 

Autluur of bodi,as I l»ve elfewberedte^^. 

You 



48 Letters concerning 

You fay again that AfHidions are not 
evil but gooo, to which I return that they 
are both in different Refpeds. They are 
certainly evil in their own formal Nature^ 
and (imply in themfelves confidered, and 
can be good only occafionally or confe^ 
qnentially, as they may ferve as Means 
to fome greater Good. And this I think 
may ferve to reconcile the Goodnefs of 
Pain to that Affertion of mine, that no* 
thing does us good but whdt amfes FUitfure^ 

that is, either formally and direftly, or oc- 
cafionally and confequentially, fome Way 
or other whatever does us good muft lie 
fuppofed to caufe Pleafure to us. Now 
though Pain cannot caufe Pleafure for- 
mally, as being a Senfation formally 
diftind from it, yet it may occafionally 
and confequentially, and fo may come 
within the Inclofure of thofe things that 
do us good. 

You think fit to confine my Senfe of 
the Word (Pleafure) to fuch only as are 
truly agreeable to the Nature of Man, by 
which I fuppofe you mean thofe Pleafures 
which are called Rational and IntelleduaL 
To this I reply that it feems to me very 
evident, and I think I have elfewhere made 
it fo, that GOD is the true Caufe of all 
the Pleafure that is refented by Man. But 

you 



I 



^e Love of GOD. 49 

you fay you know not how it can coniift 
withj the Purity of the mod holy COD, 
that he {hould be^ the Author of thofe 
pleafiqg Seufations which wicked Men 
rcel in wljat we qall finful Pleafures. But 
'tis yoiir Miftake to fuppofe that fenfual 
Pleafqres as fuch are evil, or th^t there is 
any^ fuch thing as a (inful Pleafure pro-^ 
perly fpeaking. As Sin cannofr be form 
mally pleafant, lb neither can Ple^fure be 
formally finful. All Pleafure in it felf is 
fimply good, as being a real Modification 
of the Soul, 'tis the circumftantiating of 
it that is the. Evil And of this G O D is 
nottheCaufe, but the Sinner, who ra», 
ther than forego fuch an agreeable Senfa« 
tion will enjoy it in fuch a Manner and 
in fuch Circumflances as are not for his 
own or for the common Good, and there* 
fore unlawful. . But concerning^ this mat*** 
ter you may further fatisfie your felf qut 
of th^ Liters between Dr. More and Me^ 
and .by reading the firft and fecgndjllu- 
ftration M* Mi^tbraxch makes, upon his 
De U Itecherche de la Verite. Whei^ he . 
fliews you that GOD does all tljaf i^ real- 
in the Motions of the Mind,< ar4 in.the. 
Detertpinations of thofe Motion^ with- 
out being the Author o|/ Sin* 



«/ 



There 



5© Letters concerning 

There are two dther Paff^ges in your 
Letter whfch I know not *1iqw to aupnt 
to till -1 "better compreken^.'thejpi; ,One 
is, that nientffl Pain is tlie fgrhe with S\%\ 
the other is, that Slti is the only true Evil 
6i Mail; I cannot Ra^'Ibhg qj^fltJibfe 3 
bnt as toP the fir'ft^ tefides that Sm is aij 
A&, attd^Pairi a Paffioii of the. 5ovri j and 
that Pain" is a real Modification of our 
Spirit," Wfi&rfes Sin in its FbhngKty is not 
any thing' pdfitiye "but^a iiiere Friy^^ticmi 
I fay b^des this, itf 'iiiyitai Pain oq the 
fame with' Sin, how (hair we^^diftjiiguifli 
$ra ftbni'fhe Punifliftient ' qF it > And 
ho^ftrf^ll a Man repent f^r ^s Sip> . For 
if'ljiefttM Rain be thelame wfth ^ui^ then' 
to be ic*iy' for one Sfii. W jH .1^ tcrcommit 
abothen '"Then as to flie other Pkrt that 
Sirt is"lhe ^hrfEvil of Man, I grant rt js* 
the gteeft,f'but I cannot think it the bn-^ 
ly ofie''i'^-fS^ "feeCdeS that mental "Paih is/ 
as rl^vb -mifvt an Evil diftiaar'Tifem ft, 
there^iB%lfcJ^-a thing calf d ^flVJ^ain,- 
whioh^f 'havie alfo fjiewh l;o he -an tV'd. ' ' 
^•'^dit^'Mackim a^ to what ypu^requeip: 
df mife iytheGdnclntion of your liitteiL " 
\i ydtt think' that cliftihfHon of SUtfae; of : 
^irig iEr^turefe /or our •Gobdi^tut rioji: 
loving flfcifa as, qur Gob4 ^90" nice, V 
fiirther illuftrate^ it^hiw,- '^dti^attT df-' 

ftinguiflj 

*» ' 1 ' -- 



the Love of GOV. 51 

ftingulft between the Sloveipents 6f, ihi 
Sod and' fliofe of the Body^ the Mave- 
mfehts of the Soul ought not tpten^ biit 
towardskim who only is abr''""""" " 
<MiIy kble' to aft in her. Bi 
raents of thi flddy faajr be d 
rirofc dl^fts wjiich eiiyirW 
fey'thdft Movement? ^e mi 
C^es to lliofe ^ings whici 
tpral or dWafioqal Cadfes of 
ITiiJsbetaufe wc find Pleaf 
Fire, tSis is WamAt ■ dnoiign 
it by a Bodily Movement, but we mult 
not therefore ?«/c it; For Love is aMove- 
ment of the Soul, mi.'^^t we are to 
referve^rh'ini w&) lithe true.psofeo* 
that Pleafui;^ whjch wp refent by Occali- 
on' of the fire, \vhd'« I have proved is 
no Qt^f than. GOD. By which you 
may plainly perceive what 'tis I mean by 
faying that Creatures maV be fought frr 
Qur Good, hut not- loved m our Good. 
B« after all J muft npeds acknowledgs 
that this (^s all o^^^*p't!lcr Duties) is mqre, 
intelligible than prafticable, though to 
render it fo I know no other Way than 
by long and conftant Meditation to free 
our Minds of that early Prejudice that 
lenfiye X)bjeas do aft upon our Spirits, 
and are the Caufes of our Senfations, 
E a care- 



5 a Letters concerning 

carefolly to diftinguHh between an eflS- 
dent Caufe ftriftly fo called, aijd an Oc- 
cafion, to attribute to GOD and the 
Creature their proper Parts in the Prcxlii- 
ftionof our Pleafures, to bring our felves 
to ft dear Perception and habitual Re^ 
membrance of this grand Troth, ("the 
Foundation of all Morality) that COD 
only is the true dufe of all our Good, 
whidi when fully convinced of we ihall 
no longer queftion whether he oi^ht to 
be the only Objeft of our Love. lam, 

iiJiSljS;,. With great Rcfpea, 

Your humble Servant, 
J, NORRIS. 

If you tee iausfied dros far« I would defire you co 
go on to comoiuniaite what other Thoughts yoa hare 
oonceminc the Love of G OD, for *as a Subje&I like, 
aixi would willingly purfuc to the ntmoft. 



LET- 



•« »• 



— 9 

the Love of G D. $3 

■ • 

» 

LETTER V. 

To Mr. Norris. 

SIR, 

So candid and condeifcending a Treat* 
ment of a Stranger, a Woman, ^nd 
fo inconfiderable an one as my felf, ihews 
you to be as much above the Generality 
of the World in your Praftice, zs you 
are in your Theory and Speculation. Hi- 
therto I have courted Truth with a kind 
of Romantick Paffion, in fpite of all Dif- 
ficulties and Difcouragements ; for know- 
ledge is thought fo unneceflary an Accom- 
plifcment for a Woman , tKat few will 
give themfelves the Trouble to affift us 
in the Attainment of it. Not confidermg 
^hat the improvement of one fingle Soul 
is an Employment more worthy of a wife 
Man, than moft of thofe thin^ to which 
Cuftom appropriates the Name of Buli- 
nefs and Affairs. But now, fince you 
hav^ (6 generouflv put into my Hand an 
Opportunity of ootaining what I fo grec^ 
dily long after, that I may make the beft 
Improvement of fo great an Advantage, 
I give up my felf entirely to your Con^ 

E 3 duet. 



54 Letters €$rh;errtit^ 

dud, fo far as is conliftent with a rational 

not blind. Obedieijce, bring a free and 

unprejudiced Mind td receive ff6m your 

Hand fuch Cravings ^nd Impreffions as 

(hall feem moft convenient, and though 

I can't engage for a prompt and compre- 

henfive Genius, yet I will for a dfxible 

Temper- ..,.:: , : ,./ j ^: • •.;,;!, , m--^ 

The Jft W I {*^ve ;^. thojfe fk^^tty 

and Mfej^ Rules 'ycjii have already). ^rc- 

fcribedi ^Rap^^ {lyjpy.ftrii^cOWef- 

yatjoaoft]^ :: For indeed tJ^/SpHM of 

tife is tpo flbort to op tr^led away- wi ilflh 

foncerniilig a^d unpiK>|itable Matters^ tnd 

that Soul whp has auy.Senfe of a bitter 

Life, can't chufe butdefir? that every mi* 

nute o^ her Time may bjj einf)jQyed iit 

fhc regulating of her Wilj with the m^ft 

critical Exadnefs, , and tfce extending, hit 

Under^anding to its :Uitmoft Stretchy that 

fo (he may obtain the moft enlarged Know-t 

ledge, and ample Fruition of GOD hef 

on)y Good, that her Nat;ufe is capable of, 

1 will therefore pafs on to explain a little 

w^iat J aflerted in my, laft, next add a few 

'jThoughts concerning IDivine Loyc, and 

in the Jaft place a PrppOfa} or two for the 

better Profecqtion of thofe you have al^- 

ready nwdct 

Now 



the Love of G OD. S5 

. . Now , iii order -fo ] tte- fir(\, I am very 

weir fatisfied tHktG O D is ther Caufe ik 

Mental. as well aS:B(>4ily Raii^ if by menf 

Jtal Piin* you uniiQrftfnpd Qrigf^ .wjr Mt^ 

ftalte lying in t^hi$^ that Frpnfbuhded Sifi 

and mental Pain. 'Tis indeed evident 

that S^iii and Grief are two^diftioQ: things ^ 

yet jl cannot forqi ;to my fejf ariyldea of 

Sin wnich <Ioe$.not include ttiit the great- 

€ft PjS^p and Mifery, For as Sin is the 

meritor^us C^e of all Miferyi fo it 

f^ems to rac that the Punifhaaeht of Sia 

is concomitant to the Aft 5 'Mifcry is int 

fep^able from Sin, and the Sinner is ipfi 

faai? punifhcd. When therefoife. I faid 

that mental Pain is the fame with^in, I 

meant no more than this, that as a. miifi- 

cal rnftrument, if it were capable of Scnft 

and .Xbqught, wpuld be uneafie ^nd. in 

pain when harfh difcordant l>lptes ard 

played upon it 3 fo Man, wheJi hfi brealcs 

this Law of his Nature, and runs countrf 

to thofe Motions his Maket hajafiign'd 

him, . when he contradifts the Ordtff arad 

End oC his Being miift need$^ be m Viifk 

and Mifery.. And as the Health and Per-. 

feftion, Eafe and Pleafure, Good, and 

Haf^nefs (or whatever you iViU call k) 

of. a Creature conlifts in its Ccmformity 

to the End of its Creadon, and the being 

« E 4 in 



^6 Letters concerning 

in fbch Circumftances as are agreeable to 
its Nature, from whidi if it deviates in 
the leaft it lofes both its Beauty and its 
Pleafure 5 fo the Soul of Man being made 
on pnrpofe for the Contemplation and 
U>ve of GOD^ whenever it ceafes to 
purfua that End, muft needs be put out 
of the Order of its Nature, and confe* 
guently deprivM of all Pleafure and Per- 
^dion 5 whilft it ftands rightly aifFeded 
towards G O D it cannot re deftitute of 
Pleafure, but whatfoever fcts it in Oppo- 
fition to him does by that Aft deprive it 
of all Delight. 

So that my Hypothefis will lye thus ; 
That although GOD only h^s Power to 
modifie the Soul of Man, and to afFeft it 
with Pain and Grief, yet (ince tfaefe are 
rather Vneafineps than Evils ftriftly fo 
calPd (nothing according to my Notion 
being the proper Evil of Man but Sin, of 
which more anon) fince they are defign^ 
by GOD as Mediums to good, and are, 
if not formally, yet at leaft confequenti- 
nUy Occafions of Pleafure 5 fince the wit 
fol and affefted Ignorance of the Under^r 
fkanding and Pravity of the Will, or in 
Other Words Sin, is the true and prq^er 
J^vil of a Man, becaufe Sin only is abfo^ 

\m}y 354 iv^j Pjpppfit^ to the pljf^nce 



the Love of GOD. 57 

of Gopdnefs 3 and feeing GOD jean no 
way be faid to be the Author of Sin^ 
confequently his being the Caufe of our 
imeafie Senfations, can be no jufl: Bar to 
our Love, much left any Motive to our 
Averfion, 

As for the Dlftin&jcHi of the Soul into 
inferiour and fuperiour Part, I am as lit-^ 
tie iatisfied with it as ypu can be, and do 
confefs to you ingejiuoufly that I have no 
clear Idea of that which is properly njy 
felf, nor do I well know how to diftin- 
guilh its Powers and Operations : For 
the ufual Accounts that are given of the 
Soul are very unfiitisfeftory, that in your 
Letter being the beft I have met with, 
and therefor^ for want of better ExpreG- 
^ons , I made ufe of this Diftij^ion, 
which I did the more readily becaufe I 
learned it from yoqr Qhrifiinn BUJfedmfs^ 
p. 158. All •the renjaiping Difference 
therefore lies in this Queftion, Whether 
Sin he the only Evil f And in order tpth? 
removing it, I (hall frft Khew you my 
Delign in affirming that it is, and theq, 
the Reafons that Ipcline tjie to it, and 
when I have dope fo | will refer all to 
your better Judgment 

Firft, for what I aim at, I have obfervM 
|hat 9iQft 9f tfee folly aij4 W^^ *at 



5 8 Letters concerning 

fs in the World proteeds from falfe !Ni> 
tions of Pain and Pkafure, and Miftakes 
couccriiing the Nature of Good and Evil. 
For would Men be perfwaded that GOD 
is their only Good, they would not much 
regret the Abfence of other things, fo 
they might but enjoy him ^ neither would 
they to greedily purfue the Shell of Plea- 
fure, nor fix their Hearts on fenfible Ob- 
Jefts whidi can never fatisfie. And wer? 
they but convinced that nothing is fo evil 
as Sin, they would not choofe iniquity rar 
ther thdn AffiSion. As therefore youf 
Account of Pleafure does redifie the Er- 
rors of our Love, fo I could wi(h that our 
Averfions were better f egulated than they 
ufuallyare 3 And that Sin, which though 
it be liot me efficient^ is yet tlie .mord 
Caufe of all our Evils and Difplealures^ 
were fo reprefented as that it might apr 
pear th^ only proper and adequate Objeft 
of our Entire Hatred atid Averfion. This 
is my-pefign. 

Now for the Reafbns (belides what are 
already intimated) which incline me to 
think that Sin is -the only Evil ' } grant 
that whatever is Contrary to the PleafiirQ 
and Good of Man in any pf his Capaci- 
ties, may in fome Senfe be caird an Evil 
and in this Latitude no doubt but' that 

both 



the Lxve of .GOV. 5 5^ 

liath mental aiid f^nfible I'JiiA^ ^<^ Evils. 
Fot beaufe, \*hen mvc fpeafe of Et'il w« 
»ftial]$r uoderftand fomethiifg t&at in it^ 
o^fm Nature is the pi^oper Objeft of oat 
AnSfiOn, Evil as Evil being tto<wdy eli- 
gible ^ ■ and fined mental and ^bodily Psiin 
are nd« for far evil bat that iKfome Cir^ 
olmAances they rilay become eligibfe 
which yet they cDuld not be wfctb&ut af 
fuming the Nitnre' of Good;, afid there- 
fore they are not pore andabfoliite Evils 3 
and ftrrther, though 'tis eaCtt ia oiit GofP 
lecnplatiom ind Retiremems to diftiii^ 
^ioQx between greattt* and tefl^ EV ife, td 
cbfflpdre and weigh them ^gethisr^ and 
to aflot to each ite due Proportion of 
Choice or Aver fiotiy yet ftnfce Gd^ snA 
Evil do frequcritly prcftnt thentfelvei to 
^.Nfinds in common Cofiverf^tion itnd 
BklfiBefs, when we have iidthlM' T&ifc pot 
Appetite to abftfift and confider, but are 
detfirmiad by this (hbrt and obvious Sil- 
logifm, " E,vil is not eligible, but fuch 
*^ a~thing is Evil, therefore it is not to be 
** chofen ; Whereas perhaps that which 
we refufe as Evil (fuppofe bodily or men- 
tal Pain) though formally , and in the 
greateft Latitude of the Word it be an 
lElvil, yet comparatively and pra hie &^ 
nmCy it may be a Good, and fo the pro- 
per 



6o Letters concerning 

per Ob)ed: of our Choice. To avoid 
which common Occafion of Miftake, and 
becaufe the Nature of Man has fo ftrong 
an Averfion to every thing that bears the 
Name of Evil, I wouM rather call Grief 
and Pain Vneefimjfes than Evils, and 
wholly appropriate the Name of Evil to 
Sin, which is * eflcntially and abfolutelf 
Evil, and the only entire Objefl: of a Ra- 
tional Creatures Hatred and Averfion* 

But not to contend about Words, ad- 
mitting that Pain and Grief are Evils, it 
h but in a comparative and lower Senfe ^ 
if they were effentially Evil, they could 
not in fome Circumftances become Good, 
which you your felf allow them to be oc-' 

ujionally zn^ cdnfftquefaidly^ and as they 
may be a Means to avoid a greater Evil. 
Whereas the very * Eflena of Sin is evil, 
it can never in any Circumftance be eliJ 
gible, which is a fign it is never good; 
We may not commit a lcff?r Sin under 



^ 



* The Reader is defired to take Notice that no more 
is meant by the(e Phrafes, than that Sin in its own Na* 
tare or Formality is entirely evil, it has neither Form 
nor Beauty that we fliould defire it, can never be oidi» 
nable to a good End, is none of G O D's Creatures, 
and therefore has not any the leaft Degree of Good* 
ne(s in ir^ is neither eligible for its own Uke, nor upon 
^oy other Account vvhatfoevcr. 

pretence 



theLweofGOD. 6i 

pretence to avoid a greater, But we ^^j^ 
nay we ought to endure the greateft Paui 
TsoA Gtkf rather than commit the leaft 
Sin. For (not to difpute what Good GOD 
may bring out of the Sins of Men, or how 
he dioes it, which are Queftions I will not 
2JQW meddle with J I have always thought 
that the leaft moral Evil is not to be cho- 
fen^ no not in order to the greateft Good, 
as I think may be inferred from the Apo- 
ftles arguing, Ro». 5. 8. there is a certain 
peculiarity of Evil in Sin, which (though 
you will not allow it the only Evil, yet 
at leaft) renders it an Evil paramont to 
all other Evils; and excludes it from be- 
ing in the leaft degree eligible. For tho^ 
Pain aed Grief put the foul into uneafie,^ 
CircumftanceSi yet they don't withdraw 
her from her true Good, they rather ex- 
cite her more ftron^y to cJ^ye to hinv 
and that Trouble which fenfible things 
occafion, and which <be feels through the 
Diforder of her own Thoughts, ftirs her 
up to fix more firmly on him, whofe 
Comforts in this Cafe are her only Re- 
fre(hment. Whereas Sin quite alienates 
the Soiil from h^ only truC Good, and , 
thereby deprives her of the fole Prop (he 
has to reft on, and oonfequently pufs her . 
in the moft wretched, helplcfe and evil 

Con- 



6 a Lstters c^enww. 

Cfiadition* Everjr thing biit Sin has (btftc^ 
tUng of Gqod ia it, beoaufe «vepy thiog 
dfeprooeoiafeom GOD5 butSinfe^f 
a«er por^'Qeforiraty, an unc»inpound- 
ed Evil, atod' a dired Contradi^ion to 
Qsdetf Mid dPexfeOion, aiid. cor^qu^itlf - 
to Pkafimr^ and therefont is; droQeht to 
be, ietfkMthe. greateft OppofiHoh to the 
I^b^e of Man; and to be the ptbper- 
ObJGlSt of his inUre Hatred ^nd Averfion; 
Tius is the Point I drive at, and if it - 
may be gained, am very indiffef ent whe- 
ther it be by mine, or fome other "w^ay of 
arguing. ' ' - 

But befOTe I'proceed to the next Parti'-' 
ctilar I have two Requerts, one h. That 
you would pleafe to oblige me 'rnith q; 
Definition of Pleafure 5 and the other. 
That you would a Uttlc explain the tdci 
of Pain, fcMT I don't vjieli uhderftahk' your 
Meaning when yew fay, That ? din 4nti- 
ciftiUts aS TAcMghf or Usfie^on 3 I djd 
fitppofe it to be an meifie 'thmi^h^ and ' 
how then can it anticipate all Thdught> 
The Bodily ImptcfSon' iadedd prevents^ 
Thought, but that is not properly th^' 



Occafion of it; ' • ' ' 

Now in th8 next place to ^atifie your 
Defirc wlii4h follsi'ia fo ttiu^h' whh niy 
dwa Inclindtictns/ thaiTfififtU further 



com- 



the L(yve of &0D. 6 j 

comm^^ate ^jJThpughu coftcemin^ divine. 

-Ji^cH 

ftanc^'ofallR^lidc^^^^ to wbicljt aljl other 
Ehities ivc rediiabie^, which are'but fo 
many difFercnt Mpclifications of this Soul 
that animates the Chriftian. tife : And 
therefore fuch * pifcdurfes as ferve to lay 
Its Foiindatioa deep, and raife it& Super- 
ftrufture higji, fuc;h as bring it Fwel .by 
Raticpjial Motive?; and fan its flape by 
dcvp6t:'aud relifhing/Expreflipns, do the 
Wdrlc of Religion all at oncQ ^ f9r were 
this Divine Principle but once firmly 
rofote^iin Our Hearts, and fuffered to dif-, 
plajrrt ^ejf in all jjts neceffary. Effefts an4 
Cbnfequences, 'twould fupercede'all other 
IhftrmJHbns^ 9fr\d be inftead of a Thou-" 
fand Monitors. 

'" the love of. COD is both the bed 

Wefei'vatiVe againft EviJ f in.'it$ creatqft. 

Latitudje) and aliibthat which mdft ftrong^ 

l)[ qznks us on to Good. • ^rXi^ thp beft! 

Ahtidote agair^ Sin, in thaV it difarm? 

XemJ3taj:ioijiS. of air their Force, they can- 

rtqt faften' upon the Soul'that entirely. 

Icfveslts Maker. ' He who belieyps GOD. 

tb;^^ his; only Good, if h^e attend at ali 

tb'tfiat iConvi^iqjQ, can nevbri. wilfully 

'-"' /' ^ '• "' fin 



Vf W «.« •« 



64 Letters timcerning 

fin again({ him. '' F^or Sji\ b^ing a DlTcon^^ 
forfflity to GOD,, a wining (bmdthkig 
contrary Co his Nature and Wai, *tjs not 
|K>flible for a Man to chi^e that whiclthe 
believes to be contrary to his only Good, 
and which will therefore confeqiiently 
deprive him of it. And it being nothing 
elfe but the falfe Appearance of fome 
feeming Good that inclines a Man to chule 
amifs, he who confiders G O D as his on- 
ly Good, and loves him with an Entire- 
nefs of Affeftion, has (hut up all the 
Avenues of his Soul from that Syren kp^ 

Erent Good, and is not capable of being. 
witchM by it. Indeed if we allow the 
Creature to be in any degree our Good, 
'tis hard to keep our felves from defiring' 
itj and if we permit Defire, we can .ne-i 
Vcr be fecnre from irregtilar Love, that 
Shame and Mifery of Mankind, it being 
^fier not to defire at all than to defir^r 
with Moderation. For Love is an ;iifi- 
liuating Paffion, and where-ever 'tis ad7? 
mitted, will fpread and make its Way/ 
And though the Charms of the Creature 
be infinitely unworthy to rival thofc ot 
the Creator,, yet they have this Advan-| 
tage, that they perpetually prefsuppn. 
the outward Man, and ionftantly prelcnt 
themfelves to our Senfes, fotaat if we 

allow 



the Love of GOD. 65 

allow them fBe leaft (hare in aixt Hearts, 
*tis odds but that at laft they wholly 
Withdraw it frolki him who only has a 
Kighttoit. 

And as the Love of GOD fecures ouf 
Innocence, io it makes the bed; Provifion 
for our Pleafore. The Soul of Man may 
to Well ceafe to Be as ceafe to love 5 fbme- 
thing ae other it muft defire, but fb long 
to it moves towards the Creatnre, it m&f 
dmiile its Ccavii^ but can never fatis^ 
them. How often will the Objefts of our 
Love be wanting ? How often will they 
be unkind > And fuppofe them as prefent 
and as kind as we can wifh them, (hall 
we not be as fick of our Fruitions as we 
were of our Defires ? For what is there 
in the Creature but Emptinefs, Vanity 
and Vexation > But the Objeft of Divine 
Love is always eflentially prefent, no- 
thing can hide him from us out our own 
Negleft 5 if we do but fix the Eyes of 
our Underftanding on him, and dird% 
the Motions of our Will towards him, 
we may always contemplate and enjoy 
his Beauty 5 may always afiwage buf 
Thirft at tliis Fountain, and feaft our hun-' 
gry Souls upon his nevcrrfailiiig Charm^ 
which though they will ftill draw us, on 
to purfue a fimher Enjoyment, becaufe 

F of 



\ 



$4 Letters concerning 

of (ihGu: io^fiiute AmabiUty and Pcj^^e^kki^ 
yet aU abng they will J(4tisnp an^ m <m 
SoWsrwith^tuirpeakable Delight J, thpi^ 
they don't extinguidi all Defir^i yet thejf 
YpX^ remove aH EraptineO^ an4..ait <xice 
rci3^enij(|i chjt Faeplties. ^(J,- enlargie th^f 
Bii^ tntUe ravifluhg Delists wnif^ thi^ 
en^!pK>iirjed Soul feejs, in every Aporoac^ 
to, %%t pivine Lover are better f^f ih^ 
ttpre^ed, and when we ^ve one;?: tafte^ 
orth^fe moll relifhing !l?leafuref , we ijjvijl 
^r, ever (Hfdain the muddy Stf^an^ ^ 
^enifual- Delights ! 

fhus the Love of O P defends, ^^ 
^om t^he Uijeafined of Fain a^ Gnie^ 
^ \«;eIL a& ^eom the Evi^l of Sm* ^admak^ 
us li^ppy ifi all our.. Capacities. It is, fi^ 
l|]iiivin<^ a Cardial, that* thq leaft' Drop of 
It is,aBle>tp fweeten and.oiKweigh aH t^ 
T^roufclesof this prefent S^, ajid rein 
der thp mod C^amitous Coqidition n0 
only ei^ejtx\t pyour. For, it gives an An- 
lIci^tipQ, of thofe Joys tn which it| wiU 
a^ laft Hiyeft us, britigs down. Heaven io^ 
<p,our Bofoo^ e*re it caries us upthitha^ 
:pid were it But larsely Ihed abroad in om, 
Hqai!ts, wieihould be: out of the Read^fOf 
Fortune might iOigjbt apd trample on ^ 
A$idions. Tl^tjgh. the Arrows of Paif^ 
«Dd. Grief fihould ru^e^.-our Skin. the« 

ajuld 



th Lwe af GOV. €f 

timUwtto«if£hQtittkaattii drtheymight 
t^iicb bat conld *(^ hurt U9 1 ' . 

fimllf^ tovtkiit Heights b€ Piety wSA 
mt th» Divine fHnai^e ele^iitff tfar dflkot 
1(909 S0ul ! for s^hat can" be tod diffioiik 
K) 4o «o ^uira a mora perkQs Enjfij* 
fpmt <7f what we lave > What €9h be to9 
baid to fitfbr. for > the fateidf. t^ dfb^a 
that hsih ivon ovr Hedrc ^ Tn notMo^ 
9He chat <:faiiips o«r Endeavoiirs, and 
^Itkeosiour Indofiiry aftdr/oije of tb» 
brighteft Cpowqs of Glory, bij* the diri» 
4wg our Love bithireeii .OQi> and Mstm* 
tnon. tf a fiaoiiih ^sroolldad Paiic^ 
can many times excite the .Sibiil iairlik^ 
it dwells to .do things beyond it fel^ If 
the Love of dirty Gay< ^r popular Breath 
can reconcile us to Fatigues and Diftrefles, 
and many things yerjruneafie to oar Ani^ 
mal Nature, fhall not the mofl: rational 
and beeoming l^ve, that Love which is 
the End and Perfedion of our Beings, 
which is fecured from Difappointment, 
Jealoufie, and all that long Train ofiPain 
and Grief which attends Defire when it 
moves towards the Creature, fet us above 
aH DMBculties, render our Obedience re- 
gular, conftant and vigorous, refine and 
fublimate our Natures, and make us be- 
come Angbls even whilft we dwell oa 
Earthl Fa In 



68 Letters concerning 

In the laft Place for the Propofals I am 
to make. When you thmk we have fofll- 
dently examined the Subjed we are upon, 
I defire the Favour of you to fiimifh me 
widi fuch a Svftem of Principles as I may 
rplie on, ana to give me fuch Rules as 
you judge moft convenient to initiate a 
raw Difciple in the Study of Philofo^^y ; 
leaft for want of laying a good Fomida* 
tion, I give you too much Trouble, by 
drawing Conclufions from falfe Premiles, 
and maiing ufe of improper Terms. 

I have no more to add but myrepeated 
Thanks for that great Condefcention yott 
continue to ihew to 

(Worthy Sir^ 

Decmkeriu yOUT ffloft obliged 

and humble Servant 



LET. 



. k 



\ . 



the Jjomf of GOV, 6^ 

f 

L E T T E R VI. 
Mr, NorrisV Anfiper^ 



IT deferves neither your Thanks nor 
your Admiration that I fliould endea-* 
vour to be particularly civil to a Perfon 
of your extraordinary Worth and Ac*- 
complKhments, which indeed appear fo 
great, and (b beyond what I ever yet 
round or could imagine, as at the fame 
time to command and lelTen the highdl 
Refped and Inference that can be (hewn 
to you. Your Hypothefis, as you now 
explain and reftifie it, runs clear and un* 
perplext, and has nothing in it but what 
equitably underftood challenges my full 
Confent and Approbation. The Defeft 
of it before lay partly in your fuppofisg 
GOD not to be the Author of mental 
Pain f and that becaufe you made mental 
Pain to be all one with SinJ and partly 
in your fuppofing fenfible Pain, of which 
you allowM GO D to be the Author, 
not to be in it felf a real Evil But now 
j)oth thefe Faults are mended, ^d all k 

F 3 right 



^o Lmifi cmttmng 

right and as it (hotdd be. For whereas 
before whf n y<9U confounded oiental Pain 
with Sin, you pleaded thus againft our 
hating and for our loving G O D, not- 
withftanding the )Pain v^ich he is ac- 
knowledged to inflia upon us, mental" 
Pain is truly an Evil, but fuch as GOD 
does not cauf*, fenfible Pain GO D does 
ctufe, hit the^ that is not! truly an t^%. 
Now diftinguiilung tiKtital Pain from Sik, 
Md fbbftituting Sin in ihft motn of te^ 
tA Pain, you makic your Apology fot tl» 
Love of GOD run thus, Sin whii^h i» 
«ruly aii Evil GOD does not caafe^ ^ 
Mfor fflental and fenfible Paias WMi«df 
6OD Is the true Caufe, tliey arfe tm 
truly and properly Evils. By whidb Iatt«l 
Ckttfd- 1 prefuoie you mean not ^ you 
feemM to do at firft, that they ar« not 
trijly and j)roperly Evils in their own for*- 
inal Natures and as (imply in theaifelvei; 
stonfldered ffor fo *tis evident tltafe 4iey 
%m Eviiis, as being as fVich againft* thfe 
tibepihetl and Well-being of a thiakiii^ 
toa iblf confdous Nkttir«) but only as iti 
that pat<titular Suppofition, Jundkire ix 
€^ctfm(fenct wtereih they ate irffiafed l^ 
G<4)D, who havihg-a thicirough conipric* 
llWiflVft View of olir Wfeild O^nSktV&fL, 

rations 




the Love of GOt>i ^ ' ^i 

iations is bell 'for us, thinks It advifedble 
fometitnes to ttioieft and troubfe our Rc- 
JJoTeWith mental Or. fenlible Pain, hot fot 
their bWn fakes, or that he is delighted 
ih thetd i& fudi any more than We ouir 
felves are, but in order to our Good, and 
*a^ they are neceffdlry Means to avoia JTohie 
greater Evil. In which refpeft both Pain 
atld Grief (^thdugh" evii in their inwara 
fortoal Natures) do relatively confidered 
fe fat put on tlie Nature df tTodii as to 
^ truly eligible, a6d, would. pot fail^to 
actually willed and cholCea by lis fear 
tJilr feives,^ ks by GOD for us, if we hat 
M; fatiie Views and Projpelas oF things 
iilit he has. iii this Serife it is yery true 
kfid cdrtain, that both the niehtai ana the 
Tetlfible Pain which GOD. inflifts in this 
\Xi& (lex as to ihe Mifery of the next I db 
Jiot aoprehend the prefent Queftion .con- 
cerned in it) ire not,, all things eorifider- 
ed, ttiiiy and properly Evilg, _ becauft up- 
\iii the Whole they are eli^ble, whichi Sin 
cafi never be, it being a contrsMiiCTOHr 
Sappofifion that that fliduld be el|gi>we 
.as k Means to avoid a greater Evil,! .wiMisjh 
i^ it felf the'greateft of .all.- And-heP^n 
I take it confifts the Pechliarityjj)f^ tee 
Evil of Sin, that it is never eligiBlfe, ' but 
always the due and juft Objeft of our 

F 4 Hatred 



y^ Lett^f concefnhtg^ 

Rational Soal in Man, tliat it was my real 
Of^nion that he had three Souls. 

I Hke your Ingenuity in tonlbding that 
you have no Cle^ Idea of that wmcfa it 
properly your felf, ' and I furdier tell you, 
that you never will have while you are iA 
this State. We do not know bur SoUlJ 
I«re by any Idea of them; (as not feeiM 
them yet in OOD) but only by Cohft^ 
oufnefs or interiour Sentiment, which is 
tide reafon that the Knowledge we have 
of them, is fo imperfeft. We fee Bodl6 
l^ their ideas, but we know no more 6f 
our Souls than what we feel to be dofife 
im them. . I fbrbear enlarging vip6h this 
matter, though a very noble and ufefdl 
point of ^tteculatibn, becaiifc you ihay 
find, a mofr eicfetlent A(Jc6vint given df 
It by M. Milehf-AHthe in the yth Chapter 
of hb Third Book de U.hikirehe di td 
Vtrite, page 3$i. Md agiia p.6ib srt 
large in his Hlmtration upon that ChifJ- 
ter, page 46 i, b^ Jmjietdaai Edition. And 
•the fame moft rxcellent ^rfoii elfewhere, 
ph. in his MedfUiioftf CbnjUettms^ of 
Cvlogffe Edition, /4^« 15a,. ^ives a veiy 
. fatisf ymg i^ccoiiilt of the ' R6afOiis w^ 
*! has not i^Ieafed OOP to. give as an 
ildea bfonl* o«^tf jbub; Thcr<^<»f ^idi 
••••■••■•"•■' is, 



the Love of ijQT>. 75 

M, that if we did fee clearly what we are, 
we could not i)e fo dofely tinited to oiir 
BodfcB as is neoeflary to die prefervation 
of this Anktial Life, Wc ftiaaki not look 
ttpoh it as a Part of onr fdves, and im* 
happy as we are at prefent, we (bouki not 
think it worth our Care to preferve it, and 
confequerttly having fo little Value and 
Regard for it we ihould hare no Sacri^ 
to oflS?r to GOO, &c. His other Reafon 
te parfues more at large, amd hecaufe *tis 
0116 of the ktftieft Strains of Reaibn and 
Eloquence that I ever met with, I A»'I| 
give it yoe as near the Original at I can 
tranflate it from the Author, who thins 
brings in the eternal Wifdotn, fpeakhig 
to bar Diiciple. Htcomkf^nt p^rce qw 
r^ £une am €fi nn OhpS pgtttptd, &j^ 
espMble de fovir ks Efprits defit bestnt}^ 8ec. 
Sehandlj^ iiemfe the Ided df a Soul if dn 
OhjeS figresf dndfi apt l» rwijh Spirits 
with its BeMnty, thai ifthm hadfi 4m IdtA 
tf tif <Sm/, thm vmttaji he n» longer abk 
to Aiffk npOH Mf thing ttfe. Far if th 
/afetf of E^cte^tfian iffihufh rtprejintr only 
Bodies^ does fa firmgty rmch Natnral Phi^ 
tefophers dnd Mathem^ieiMr^ thnt th^ 
i^9Htimf f^ }^B their Duties to etnOtftt^ 
pUte it. jfa Mutie/fM^eiwe has fi much 
^li^bt ndimh$ 4mtar9s^iMMkii^ among 

fhftnfelvef 



76 Letters concerning 

themfilves thereby to difcwer their Rel^ 
tiws^ that he e^en fojcrifices his PUdfures 
Mtd his tiedtb to find out the 1? roper ties of 
d LinOj what Application wotdd not Men 
bejiovp upon tht Refearch of the Properties of 
their own Beings and a Being infinitely more 
noble than Bodies f What Pleafiire would 
they not take to compare among themfelves 
by a clear View of the nnder^andsng Jo 
many different Modifications toe bare Sen-^ 
timent ^ which ^ however fieble and confufe^ 
does fo firangely bufie and employ them, ror 
thou mufi know that the Soul contains in 
her fel fall the Bemtties and Finejffes that 
thou Jeeji in the Worlds and which then 
art wont to attribute to the ObjeSs that en^ 
tnron thee. Tho/e Colours^ thoje Odours^ 
thofi Savours^ with an Infinity of 0ther 
Sentiments with which thou hafi not yet been 
touched^ are po other than Modifications of 
thy own Suhflance. That Harmony which 
fo elevates thee is not in the Air which jlrikes 
thy Ear^ a$fd tho/e infinite Pleafures of 
which the greatefi Volnptuaries have but a 
feeble Sentiment are included in the Capacity 
of thy Soul. Now if thou hadfi a clear Idea 

cbetypal Spirit upon which th^u wafi formed^ 
thou Wouldfi dijcover fo many Beauties and 
fo many Trifths in conteftflatUtg it^ that 

thou 



the LcveofGOD. 77 

tifM wouldfi megleS M thy Devnrs. Than 
TPOHldfl difi&ver mth an Extremitj cf Jay 
that tboH wMldfi be arable df enjoying an 
Inpnitj rfPlesffkrex. Thou n>ouldfi kwm 
clearly tkeir Hatwre^ thou jponldji be inctf- 
fantly comfaring them among themfelves^ 
mtd thou wmldft dif cover Truthi which 
v^auld affear to theefi worthy of thy Appli- 
cMtion^ that wholly wrapt up and dforpt in 
the Contemplation of thy own Beings full 
of thy felf if thy Urandenr, of thy Excel- 
lencies, and of thy Beauty thou wonldjl be 
no longer able to think of any thing befides. 
But my Sony GOD has not made thee to 
think of nothing but thyfelf He has made 
thee for hitnfelf* Wher^ore IJhall not dif- 
cover to thee the Idea of thy Being, till that 
happy Time when the fiiew of the very E/^ 
fence of thy GOD JbaS deface and eclipfe 
all thy Beauties, and make thee defpifi aU 
that thou art^ that thou mayfi think only of 
contemplating him. 

The Account of this excellent Perfon 
isfo fatisfying, that I ihall not pretend 
to add any thing to it, but (hall only ol> 
ferve from it that fince 'tis fo true that we 
have no Idea of our own Souls, and (b 
reafonable that we (hould have none, it 
would be in vain to go about to define 
any of the Modifications of our Spirit; 

which 



J% t«tt€rs coTKefrnti^ 

which (finoe we hvn da 'Idea of thotn). 
mufl; he karat t^ ki\^afd S^ttiinent, tod 
can no more be ouuie known hy Words to^ 
tfaofe that have not felt theitithanColoiua. 
can be defcribed to a Mao thar is blind. 
And theref(ve you m«ft fSiCiife me.if I 
own my felf unable to gratifi^ yoclr R»« 
quefl; in giving yon a D^finttion oC Plea- 
Cure, whidbi thou^ I knp^ whea I feef it; 
and am able to diftingoift firoin Light, 
or Colour,, or Sound, or frbtn.theoppoiSte 
Seniadon of Pain, yet iiooe I know it by 
intern^ Con^doufne^ Only or Sentiment, 
and not by Idea,, I cannot by Worda rciH 
der it intelMgibte to any body eH«, bift 
muft remk Urn that de€res the Knowkdge 
of its- Nature to $t&te an^ EsipedectOB. 
For hfi can never knovi^ it till he fee) it, 
and have thofc Motions excicsd in the 
OrgiKis of Wsr Safe, ft> whidk the Mthoi 
ol Nature has annexed diis .Seo£ition. 

However, I may ventuie to €2U iftain 
an Mfetf/Sf 72(ra^,QQt that I, intend thereby 
ID define it (^ I diink it no> nove capa^- 
ble c^ a Definition %idl^ fo a^^ thaa 
Ples^e)^ bnt only to intunatie ia general' 
that it is ft Modifiettiom belbnging to 
Spirit, and- not to Body. For feeinj^ 
clearly in the Ideai whidb I have o£ Esef' 
tenfion, that «11. its. Modifiutioiis sedwcs 

them- 



the tctve of GOD. 79 

themfelves tQ Figi4re »aA Motion, or ceN 
taia j^datiqns of Dift^we^ conclude thai 
Pleafure and Pain and the rcjft of thoi^ 
5enfations which I feel in wiy^lf by ia* 
teriour Sentiment; are not; IJi^difkations 
belonging to. my Corporeal Subftance^ but 
to fonip other ,which I call my^ Spirit. AM 
for this rea&)n it is th9t I call Vain, 9jx 
uneafie thoug|it. But then, for the reaw* 
clling this wiijb my laying that it antici^ 
yatQs and prevents aill Thought, I need 
only fuggeft to yoa that when I caU Paia 
an une^ue Thought, I take Thought ki 
ifcs ijtrapft Latitude, for all that we aio 
aii3r way confcjoias of to^ our felvcS) a« 
vay mou: admired Philofopher does ia 
His Principles of Pbil<^phry Pv a. whcr* 

be faySy. CagHathnif nomine inutlig4} iUd 
Qmm4 qH£ n^bk cw^fiiis in mhis fmnt^y OMr 
tcffur corHmin nobis ConfAUnfia, efi. Jtfim 
itd non nfodo intelli^r^:^ velUy imAgkuure^ 
fed., etiamjentire idem eji hie quad cogitate j 
t e. By the Nltttfe ofThfiught lunderjiand 
all thofi things which we are con/eiom to be 
done in oh^ felves^ fo^r firth as there m 
ifius a Canfoionfnefs ofthemi And thm not 
ony to under fland, to mil, to. imagine, bnt 
even to feel is the fam$]here 4^ to think. But 

when I lay that Pain anticipates all 
Thonghtj, by Thought I ipeanaJl. rational; 

difcurfive 



8o Letters cdncerrung 

difcurfive and reflefting Thought, which 
'tis moft certain and evident by all Expe^ 
lience that Pain does prevent, and as cer- 
tain that Grief does fuppofe, follow and 
proceed from it. 

But to return from thefe Digreflions 
(for I call all things fo that have not an 
immediate Conne^on with Religion) to 
that whidi is the principal Subjeft of our 
Cbrrefpondence, and ought to be the 
Subjea of all our Thoughts, the Love of 
GOD. Our Saviour places it ia the 
Head of all Morality, telling us that it is 
(hcfirji and great Commandment. And his 
Apoftle St. Paul places it in the Rear of it, 
telling us that the End of the Commandment 
if Charity. So then from both thefe put to- 
gether, the Refult will be that the Love 
of GOD isbothiSie firft and the laft, the 
Beginning and the End, the Foundation 
and the Top-work, the Principle and the 
Accomplifhment of all Moral Perfeftion. 
And no doubt but the firft Devoir which 
in Order of Conception we can fuppofe 
to refult from the Being of an intelligent 
Creature will be to love the Author of 
it, and if he who is the Author of our 
Being be alfo the Author of all the Good, 
Contort, Pleafure and Happinefs of our 
Being, nay even of our very Power and 

Force 



the Love of GOD. 8i 

Force of loving, than as we begin with 
him fo we muft end with him too, and 
make him the Term and Objed of our 
whole Love, uniting our felves to him 
with all that we are (as if you ftiould 
fuppofe Bodies to touch one another ac- 
cording to their whole Superficies) with 
all our Heart, Soul and Mind. But of 
this already,and perhaps further hereafter. 
At prefent I confider that fince our Being 
is in it felf a Good, and the Foundation 
and Poffibility of all the Good which we 
do or (hall ever enjoy, it can be no fooner 
received than it brings along with it an 
Obligation of loving our Creator, whofe 
we are, and to whom we are to offer up 
our Hearts as a flaming Sacrifice as foon as 
we enter upon Bein^, which we are to 
pay to him as our firft Homage, and as 
an early Pledge and Earneft of all the 
Duty that we owe him. And that which 
does the more oblige us to ^ this is, that 
if we do not thus early pay it to pur 
Creator, we (hall pay it fomewhere elfe 
where it is not due. For no fooner does 
a Creature begin to Be, but he begins to 
Love, the intelleftujil Pulfe commences 
its Movement with the firft Infpiration of 
Life as well as the natural, and the Defire 
of Happinefs immediately fucceeds the 

G Capacity 



'ji ^ Letters concerning 

Hatred and Averfion. So that if in this 
Scnfe you will have Sin to be the onty 
Evil, that whereas all other Evils are not 
fo fer Evils but that in fome Jundures 
and Suppofitions they may become good 
and eligible. Sin as being the greateft Evil 
can in no Suppofition imaginable become 
good, but remains ever a fixed and un?- 
changeable Evil, as GOD does a Good, 
without the kaft Variation or Shadow of 
turning, I intirely confent with you, and 
do, and hope always (hall, think Sin to 
be thus the only Evil. And fince G Op 
is not the Author of Sin which can never 
be eligible, but only of our uneafie Sen^- 
timents which in fome Circumftances may, 
and then are no longer to be confidered 
as Evils, this gives clear and fuU Satis- 
faftion to that Objeftion againft the Love 
of GOD taken from his being the Caufp 
of our painful Senfations. And I can now 
well conceive that GO D is always love- 
ly and to be loved by us, not only when 
under the little common Uneafinefles. of 
Life,, but when moft miferable and afflift- 
ed, even by a Martyr in his Flames. And 
fo we are come to a fair Refolution of 
' jthis Difficulty concerning the Love of 

ooix ^ 



.rj 



* .;» 



M 



the^Love of GOD* , jq 

« 

As to what you fay concerning the Itk* 
feriour and Superiour Part of the Soul, 
that you the rather u$M this Di(Und:iDn 
becaufe you learnt it from ,my ChrijHan 
Blejfednefs^ I confefs that I do there make 
life of tins Scheme of Speech, not intend- 
ing thereby two parts of the Soul Really 
and Phy^cally diftinf)!, but only the fame 
Spul diverfly confiderM, with refped: tp 
4ifFerent Objefts and ways of Operation, 
In confideration of which it is ufually 
divided into Parts in a popular way of 
fpeaking^ . which in a popular Difcourf^ 
and where there was nothing of particuy 
Jar Theory depending upon it, I had no 
reafon to depart from, but rather to com- 
ply with, ^ut when Good or Evil, Grief 
or Pain, come to be diftinguifhed by their 
being lodgM jn this or tnat part of the 
Soul in the Superiour or Inferiour P^rt 
("which muft then fignifie Parts really di- 
ftinft) I then deny that ther^ are any fuch 
Parts. In all other Cafes t fhould not 
fcruple to fpeak iq the conimon Language, 
ijot apprehending that I (hould give any 
.one thereby juftoccafion to think that I 
;heid two real Parts in the Soul, any more 
[%\axi by u(ing another popular mode erf* 
fpeai^g of me Vegetative, iSenfitive aiid 
'^^ ' '^ ' ^ Rational 



i'' 



84 Letters concerning 

cy and Perfeftion, fuch as draws on with 
it the Obfcrvation of all the Command- 
ments, and is therefore the ftiorteft Line, 
the moft compendious way to GOD, and 
the enjoyment of him. The Love of 
GOD is indeed the general feifin, the 
univerfal ingredient of all a good Man's 
Anions ; 'Tis that precious Tinfture, that 
Chymical Spirit that runs through all, and 
that Noble Divine Elixir which gives 
Worth and Value to all, and converts 
even our meaneft and rtioft indifferent 
a&ions into Religion and Devotion. Great 
laftly, in the Pleafure and Duration of 
it. As Love is the moft pleafant Paffion, 
fo the Love of G O D is the moft plea- 
fing Love. A Love that rewards it felf, 
a Fire that is its own Fuel. He that Loves 
G O D as he ought, as he cannot, fo he 
need not Love any thing elfe, fo great 
delight and entertainment will he find in 
the Love of G O D. Which will alfo go 
along with him into the other Life, and 
be the Life of that Life. Then all the 
inftrumental and minifterial Virtues fhall 
expire and be of no further Ufe. Wke- 

ther they be Prophecies they Jhall fail, &C. 

Even the Fear of G O D which is now fo 
highly magnified as the Beginning of 
Wifdom, (hall then ceafe, for perfed Love 

fliall 



the Love of GOD. 85 

fliall calft it out. Faith fliail vanifli, Hope 
(hall be fwallowed up, and Prayer it felf 
fliall be filent, only Love and Praife (hall 
endure, and vye with each other to all 
Eternity. Thus much of the Love of 
G O D in general, concerning which all I 
have faid feems little, when I compare it 
with the Greatnefs of the Subjed, and 
your moft exalted and feraphick Strains 
upon it. I intend in my next to add fome- 
thing to the Reafon of pur loving GOD 
fo intirely as I ftate it in my Sermon. Jn 
the mean time I deliver up this noble Sub- 
ject to a better Hand , defiring you to 
communicate what further Thoughts you 
h^ave upon it, and to believe him tl^t 
\yrites this to be in all Sincerity 

# 

Btmertm, Youf moft humblc Servant, 



G s I, E T- 



S6 Letters concerning 

LETTER Vll. 
To Mr. Norris. 
SIR. V 

IAm glad we are come to fo good an 
iflue in the matter of our Debate, and 
ftiall therefore immediately apply my felf 
to that moft neceflary and delightful 
Theme, which is the nobleft entertain- 
ment of our Thoughts, the beft improve* 
ment of pur Minds at prefent, and will 
be the inexhauftible Spring of our Joy 
hereafter, the Love of G O D. I cannot 
but admire the fottiflinefs of thofe dull 
Epicureans^ who make it their Bufinefs to 
hunt after Pleafures as vain and unfatis- 
fadory as their admirers are Childifh and 
Unwife, and in the mean time turn their 
Backs on this vaft Repofitory of folid 
and fubftantial Joy. A Joy whofe perpe-^ 
tual Current always affords a frefti Delight, 
and yet every Drop of it fo entertaining, 
that we might live upon it to all Eterni- 
ty ! Whilft our Souls are inebriated with 
Its Pleafures, our very Bodies partake of 
its Sweetnefs : For it excites a grateful 
;^4 eafie ^4otioQ in the animal Spirits, 

and 



the Lo7)e of GOD. 87 

and caufes ftich an agreeable Movement 
of the Paffions as comprehends all that 
Delight, abftraded from the Uneafinefs 
which other Objefts are apt to occafion. 
Our Paffions (although they have both 
their Ufe aqd Pleafure, yet) as we ufually 
feel them are blended with fo much Pain, 
that *tis hard to determine whether the 
good or evil they do us be the greater, 
and a Man fometimes over-pays for his 
Mirth, by that Sting of Sorrow which at- 
tends it. However, I am not for a Stoical 
Apdthy^ I would not have my Hands and 
Feet cut off left they (hould fometimes in- 
commode me. The Fault is not in our 
Paffions confidered in themfelves, but in 
our voluntary Mifapplication and unfuit- 
able Management of them. And if Love 
which is the leading and mafter Paffion 
were but once wifely regulated, our Paf- 
fions would be fo far from rebelling a- 
gainft and difquieting us , that on the 
contrary they would mightily facilitate 
the great Work we have to do,, give 
Wings to this Earthly Body that prefles 
down the Soul, and in a good Mcafure 
remove thofe Impediments that hinder 
her from mounting to the Original and 
End of her Being. What is it that makes 
our Joys tumultuous and flitting, our 

G 4 Fears 



88 Letters concerning 

Fears tormenting, our Hopes difquieting, 
&c. but the Irregularity of our Defire .<? 
If we love amifs we (hall both Fear and 
Hope, Grieve and Rejoyce without Rea- 
fon and in a wrong Meafure, we fhall 
lafli out into a thoufand Extravagancies, 
and be as unhappy as we are unwife and 
unreafonable. Whereas if we tune our 
Love to the right Key, we need not be 
apprehenfive of Difcord among the reft 
of our Pafljons, all their Motions will be 
natural and regular, and all concert in a 
becoming Harmony. The Divine Nature 
is a Field in which our grateful Paffions 
may freely take thek Range. If we make 
GOD the Objeft of our Defire, our 
Hopes will neither delude, nor our Joys 
forfake us 5 there is no Serpent lurks in 
this Graf?, all is calm and pleafing, fecure 
and entertaining. , And yet, unwife that 
we are .' How hard is it to drive us to 
our Felicity, how difficult to convince us 
of our Happinefs .^ How many Evafions 
do we find to with-hold our Love from 
him who requires it, not for his owpt but 
wr Advantage ! When (hall we be, I need 
not fay fo juft to GOD, but fo kind to 
our felve$, as totally to withdraw every 
ftraggling Defire^ from the Creature, the 
yery beft of which is not able to fatisfie 

the 



the Love of GOT). 89 

the Ix)ngings, and fill the Capacities of 
the Mind. The Boundleflriefs of Defire 
is a plain indication to me that it was 
never made for the Creature ^ for what is 
there in the whole Compafs of Nature 
that can fatisfie Defire ? What but he who 
made it can replenifti and content it ? I 
need not bring Arguments for the Proof 
of this, every one has Experience enough 
to confirm it. For after all our Refearches 
after that which is good for the Sons of 
Men, where is the happy Perfon who has 
not been defeated in his Hopes, or fruftra- 
tcd in his Enjoyments ? Though he has 
obtained his Objeft, has he fatisfied his 
Defire ? For how amiable foever created 
Good may appear at a Diftance, a clofer 
Infpeftion and intimate Knowledge, de«r 
Clares it to be vain and empty, and a very 
improper Quarry for the Soul of Man. 

Indeed the Soul of our Neighbour has 
the moft plaufible Pretence to our Love, 
as being the moft Godlike of all the 
Creatures, but fince 'tis as indigent as 
our own, how can it fupply our Wants, 
or confequently be the proper Objeft of 
our Defires ? And if you will forgive a 
Remark which perhaps is not fo folicj as 
the Subjeft requires, I am apt to thijik that 
^hat Bafhfulnefs and Unwill|qgnefs we 

feel 



90 Letters concerning 

feel in our felves to declare Love though 
ever fo pure and fo refined from bafe and 
low Defigns, and which (hews it felf in 
moft, but efpecially in the beft and moft 
generous Tempers, proceeds from hence : 
The Soul blulhes to declare her Indigence, 
and to go out of her felf to feek for Hap- 
pinefs in that which is not^ cannot be the 
proper Objeft of her Defires. Tis true, 
a Sifter Soul may give fomewhat better 
Entertainment to our Love than other 
Creatures can, but (he is not able to fill 
and content it. She muft feek her own 
Felicity abroad, and if (he cannot be her 
own Good, there is little Reafon to ex- 
peft (he (hould be ours. And being I 
have heard fome Objcft againft your Ac- 
count of the firft and great Command- 
ment, that it is prejudicial to the fecond^ 
and becaufe I am of a quite contrary 
Opinion, and think nothing does more 
effeftually fecure and improve it, I will 
therefore oflFer to your Confideration and 
Corredlion fuch Meditations as I have had 
about it. 

It were I confefs a ftrong Prejudice 
againft your Way of ftating the Love of 
COD, if it were in any Meafure inju- 
rious to the right Underftanding and due 
Performance of the Love we owe to our 

Neighbour^ 



the Love of GOD. 91 

Neighbour. For fince the Precepts of 
the Gofpel are an exaft and beautiful 
Syftem of Wifdom and Perfedion, every 
one of whofe Parts are fo duly propor- 
tioned to the other, that the Refult of all 
is perfed Harmony and Order, I muft 
needs conclude, that when fuch a Senfe 
is put upon one Precept as caufes it to 
clafh and interfere with another, it can't 
be the genuine Meaning of it. And if I 
can't make over the whole of my Defire 
to GOD, without taking from that 
Portion of Love he has afTigned my 
.Neighbour, I muft of Neceffity fet the 
Signification of that Precept to a lower 
Pitch, and find out fome other Medium 
to interpret the firft and great Command- 
ment But there's no NecefSty for this : 
So far is your Account of the Love of 
GOD from being prejudicial to the Love 
of our Neighbour, that (if I think right) 
'tis the only folid and fure Foundation it 
can reft upon. For if I may lawfully 
beftow any Share of my Defire on my 
Neighbour, why not on the reft of G O D s 
Creatures that are ufeful and beneficial to 
me, provided my Love be not inprdinate, 
but contain it felf within thofe Bopnds 
thatReafon and Religion have prefcribed ? 
For thofe who contend for a Love of 

Pefire 



9 1 Letters concerning 

Defirc towards our Neighbour, won't 
deny but that that Defire may be inordi- 
nate, and in that Refpeft unlawful 5 and 
therefore, according to them, it is not the 
bare defiring, but the Excefs and IrregnU^ 
rity of that Defire that makes it finful. 
But does riot Reafon plead as much for 
the Lawfulnefs of defiring one Creature 
as another ? And what Arguments can be 
fetched from thence for the Love of our 
Neighbour, that will not be as concluding 
for the Love of other Creatures in their 
Degree and Proportion ^ If it be alledged 
that we have a Command to love our 
Neighbour, but none to love other Crea- 
tures, this feems to me a begging of the 
Qieftion ; for the Matter in Debate is^ 
Whether that Command ought to be under-' 
fiood of Love of Defire^ or Love of Benevo- 
lence. But if we once permit our Defire 
to ftray after the Creature,we open a Bank 
to all that Mifchief, Malice and Unchari- 
tablenefs that is in the World. And in- 
deed what can be fo deftruftive to the 
Love of our Neighbour as thefe Defires > 
For the Creature being finite and empty 
too, and therefore unable to fatisfie the 
Defire of a rational Soul, how is it poP- 
fible but that a Multitude of Lovers who 
ail defiire the fame thing, which is very far 

from 



the LoveofGOD. 93 

from being able to fatisfie one, much lefs 
all of them, ftiould crofs each other in 
thefe Defires and Purfuits,and confequently 
deftroy that Peace and mutual Benevo- 
lence which ought to be cherifhed among 
rational Beings,and to which the Precepts 
of the Gofpcl fo ftridly engage us > But 
the Divine Nature is an inexhauftible 
Ocean of Felicity, in which every one 
of us may fatisfie his moft inlarged D©« 
fires, without the leaft Diminution of its 
Fulnefs ! We need not grudge nor envy 
each other's Portion, for here is enough 
for us all. And therefore the Soul that 
centres all her Love on GOD, has no 
Temptation to thofe Sins that obftrud her 
Benevolence to her Neighbour. She does 

not ^ake Gold her Hope^ nor the fine Gold 
her Confidence ^zxA therefore can very readily 
part with it to fqpply her Brother's Ne- 
ceffities. She does not place her Felicity 
in the Pomps and Pleafures of this Mortal 
Life, and therefore does neither envy him 
who pofleflcs them, nor feeks by injurious 
Praftifes to deprive him of them. And as 
(he has no Pleafure^ no Coveting^ no Ambi- 
tion^ but to partake of the Divine Nature^ 
fo the Excellency of that Good on which 
(he feeds affimilates her into its own 
Likenefs, and infpires her with fuch a 

generous 



94 Letters concerning 

generous and difFufive Benignity, that 
ftie is willing to fpend and be fpent for 
the good of others, and in Imitation of 
the Divine Philanthropy^ expands her felf 
in Ads of Rindnefs and Beneficence, as 
uncircumfcribedly and univerfally as the 
Capacity of her Nature will permit. 

What has been faid I hope is fufficient 
to authorize me without Sufpicion of In- 
juftice, to withdraw my Heart from my 
Neighbour, and fix it entirely on him who 
has Merit enough to deferve, and Kind- 
nefs enough to embrace and requite the 
higheft and moft arduous degree of Love 
I can poffibly beftow on him. But it may 
further be confidered, that our Saviour 
commands us to love our Neighbour as 
our fehes^ and to love one another as he 
has loved us. Now our Love to our felves 
is a Love of Benevolence, and confe- 
quently fuch a Love to our Neighbour 
does fully difcharge the Obligation of 
that Command. Nor does it appear that 
our Saviour loved with a Love of Defire, 
as he was GOD he could not, and as he 
was Man he need not, for a Ix)ve of Be- 
nevolence will anfwer all the Ends of his 
coming into the World. The Scripture 
'tis true, mentions fome happy Favourites 
who had a greater Intereft in his Love 

than 



the Love of GX)D. 95 

than others. We read th^t J ESVS 
laved Lazaras, and of the Dijciple whom 
JESVS loved^ but there is no Neceffi- 
ty to underftand this of a Love of Defire, 
and whatever other Reafon may be afSgn- 
^ cd for this particular Kindnefs, I am apt 
to think the main Defign of it was for 
our Example, that as our bleffed Lord has 
Jeft us a Pattern of every Virtue, fo he 
might cfpecially recommend to us that 
moft noble and comprehenfive one Friend- 
Jhip^ which next to the Love of G O D 
has the Precedency of all the reft. I am 
therefore very far from defigning anyPre^ 
judice to Frienddip by what I have offer- 
ed here, I rather intend to aflert and ad- 
vance it. For he who permits his Defires 
to run after his Friend, will in the End 
neither pleafe himfelf nor advantage his 
Friendfhip. How often do we force the 
Almighty to deprive us of thefe dear 
Idols that have ufurped our Hearts > That 
fo he may convince us how improper it 
is to permit our Souls to cleave to any 
Creature, which, allowing it to be able 
to entertain us at prefent, can give no 
Security for the future. And therefore 
he who would fecure his Felicity, and 
have the Current of his Delight perpetual, 
muft not fuffer his Love to fix on any 

Objeft 



9^ Letters concerning 

Objeft but that which is the fsMe Tefier- 
day^ to Day^ and for ever. Bcfides, the 

Defefts which we find in Friendftiip, owe 
their Original to this mifplaced Defire. 
'Tis this, that knowing the Narrownefs of 
Humane Nature makes us endeavour to 
monopolize a worthy Perfon to our fclves, 
whereby we do him a great Injury by 
contrafting and limiting his Benevolence. 
This is it that hood-winks our Souls, and 
makes us blind to our Fricnd^s Imperfe- 
dions 5 for where-ever Love fixes it ei- 
ther finds or fencies Excellency and Per- 
feftion : To difcover a Defed embitters 
its Delight, wakes it out of its pleafant 
Dream, and is an uneafie Monitor that it 
ought not to reft here, fince what is de- 
feftive is fo far not good, and confequcnt- 
ly not lovely. But he who will not fee 
his Friend^s Infirmities is not like to in- 
form him of them, and fo fruftrates the 
great Defign of Friendfhip, which is to 
difcover and correft the moft minute Ir- 
regularity, and to purifie and perfed the 
Mind with the greateft Accuracy. What 
is it but Defire that creates thofe Jealou- 
fies and Difquiets which fometimes creep 
into this refined Affeftion ? For pure Be- 
nevolence delighting in doing Good, and 
having no Regard to the receiving it, 

would 






the Love ofG D. 97 

would not be difgufted at the Kindnefs 
which is (hewn to a third Perfon, but ra- 
ther rejoyce at the Exercife of its Friend's 
Virtue. From Defire proceeds that unbe- 
coming Excefs of Grief which is apt in- 
decently to tranfport us when GOD 
tranflates our Friend from our Bofom in- 
to his own. A generous and regular 
Friendihip, after it has paid that Tribute 
of .Tears which Nature and the Worth of 
the Perfon requires, will rather prompt 
us to fympathize with and rejoyce in his 
Happinefs, than to regret and complain 
of our own Lofs. There is yet another 
Indecency that would be prevented were 
our Love only benevolent 5 and that is, 
that ftrong Antipathy which ufually fuc- 
ceeds Affeftion whenever it comes to a 
Rupture, as 'tis odds but it may, confi- 
dering the great Weaknefs of Humane 
Nature, and how feldom a Man is in eve- 
ry Stage of his life confiftent with him- 
felf, for a rightly conftituted Friendihip 
will incline us by all the Arts of Sweet- 
nefs and Endearment to win upon the 
Offender, who has fo much the greater 
need of our Benevolence, by how much 
he does the lefs deferve it. Our Kindnefs 
when he no longer returns it is the more 
excellent and generous, becaufe more free : 

H And 



9 8 Letters concerning 

And though it can't be called Friendfhip 
when the Bond is broke on one fide, yet 
there may be a moft refined and exalted 
Benevolence on the other. 

After all^ methinks Benevolence is the 
moft great and noble kind of Love, and 
I wonder what (hould make us (6 fond 
of Defire, and (b unwilling to withdraw 
it from the Creature, fince fo placed it is 
a continual Reproach to us, and perpe* 
tually upbraids us with our Weaknefs and 
Indigence. To need and defire nothing 
out of himfelf is the Prerogative and 
Perfeftion of the Divine Nature : And 
though a Creature need not blufh to Ian- 
guifti after GOD's Fulnefs, and to thirft 

for this Fountain of Living Water, yet 

methinks it (hould, to long after broken 
Cifterns, Creatures as dry and empty as it 
felf 5 did we therefore confult either our 
Honour or our Intereft, we (hould with* 
out Reluftancy banifli the Creature from 
our Hearts, abandoning all other Defires 
but that which has all the Pleafure and 
Advantage of Love, without any of its 
Pain and Imperfeftion. 

And thus Sir, I have endeavoured in 
this and my lafb, to point out, though 
very imperfedly, 4bme of the Preroga- 
tives of Divine Love. And I hope 'twill 

appear 



the Love of GOD. 99 

appear from the Utility as well as from 
the Reafonablenefs of the thing, that we 
ought to fix the whole of our Love on 
our Maker. And in truth, if we think 
it reafonable to love COD at all, I know 
not how we can with Safety permit our 
Hearts to love any thing elfe. For though 
we may fancy that the Love of the Crea- 
ture is not contradiftory, but fubordinate 
to the Love of COD, yet Love being 
the moft rapid of all Motions, if once 
our Defire be fet a moving, in vain do 
we think to ftop and circumfcribe it 3 
and therefore as it is unjufl:, fo it is un- 
fafe to give it the leaft Tendency towards 
any Objeft but him who is the only pro- 
per and adequate one. 

I am exceedingly pleasM with M. Mal^ 
branch's Account of the Reafons why we 
have no Idea of our Souls, and wifli I 
could read that ingenious Author in his 
own Language, or that he fpake hiine. 
However I have fome Queries to make 
about the Matter, but muft refer it to ano- 
ther Opportunity. You tell me I muft not 
expea a Definition of Pleafure, all I de- 
fire is only fuch an Account as we have 
of fome other things, which ftriftly fpeak- 
ing are not capable of a Definition ; that 
Notion which I have entertained of Plea- 

H 2 fure 



lOO Letters concerning 

fare is. That k is tlua grMtefkl Relifi or 
Semfithn, which every F4u:idtj enjoys, in 
the reffttdr AfplicOiom ef it felf^ f fach 
ObjeSs m tare sgreeidtle to its Nature. Or 
if yoa pleale, PUrftare I take to be, the 

Grdtificttiom of Ndtttrtl A^etites ticcord- 
ittg to, 4Utd not exceeding the Intention of 
NMtmre, and I pray be fo kind as to tell 
me wherein I miftake, wheret^ you will 
iiirdier engage me to be 

Sir, 
fekwj 15. Your very humble 

and thankful Servant 



LET- 



the Jjofve of GOD, 101 



LETTER VIII. 
Mr. NorrisV Anjmr. 



I Am no lefs pleafed than your leJf that 
my great Argument for the intire Love 
of GOD taken from his being the only 
true Caufe of our Good, is fo well dis- 
charged of that DiflSculty which you ur- 
ged againft it, becaufe (as I told you in 
my firft) I think it the only material one 
to whidi it ftands expofed, and becaufe 
it has received from your skilful Hand the 
utmofl: Advantage it was capable of So 
that now I cannot but conclude the Bot- 
tom I go upon to be very found, not ex- 
pefting to iDe attacked by a ftronger Ob- 
jeftion, or by one better managed. The 
feme occurred to my own Thoughts while 
I was compofing my Difcourfe, but I 
thought it would be time enough to con- 
fider it when it came to be objefted, and 
1 have fince met with a little flying Touch 
of it in a modern Philofopher of very 
confiderable Note, Monfieur Regis ^ zCar^ 

H 3 tefiM^ 



1 o a Letters concerning 

tejtan^ who in his Metaphj^ 

chap!'i6*'^ * fi<^^^ contends upon this very 

. Ground that GOD is not 
the Moral Good of Man. GOD (fays 
he) is not the Moral Good of Man nei- 
ther becaufe he produces thofe things 
which are agreeable to him, nor becaufe 
he caufes thofe Pleafures which he feels. 
Not the firft, becaufe GOD would then 
be the Moral Good of all other Creatures 
as well as Man, becaufe he does as much 
produce what is agreeable to them as what 
is fo to Man. Not the fecond, becaufe 
COD would then be no lefs the Moral 
Evil of Man than his Moral Good, be- 
caufe he does no lefs produce the Pain 
which he fufifers, than the Pleafure which 
he enjoys. From which he pofitively 
concludes, that GOD is not the Mor^ 
Good of Man. And indeed meaning by 
Moral Good (what he doesj that which 
a Man makes a good ufe of, I know not 
but that it may be very proper to fay, 
that G OD is not the Moral, but the Na- 
tural Good of Man : As being that Good 
which perfefts his Nature. Though the 
reafon of his Affertion, taken fromGOD's 
producing our Pain as well as our Plea- 
fure, feems upon the former Confidera- 
tions not to be fo juft, fince that would 

equally 



the Love of GOD. loj 

cqnally conclude againft his being our 
Natural Good too. 

Tlie other Difficulty againft the intire 
Love of GOD taken from its Inconfiften- 
cy with the Love of our Neighbour, 
f which you fay you have heard fome 
urge againft my Account of the firft and 
great ComEiandment) is indeed in one 
refpeft more preffing than the former, 
though eafier to be refolved, bccaufe it 
is direftly levelled, not againft the Rea- 
fon only of the Propofition , but the 
Truth of it. But I wonder to hear of 
this Objeftion as pertinent as it is, fince 
I thought I had already laid in a fufficient 
Caution againft it in the Difcourfe it fel£ 
For 'tis moft certain that the moft intire 
Love of GOD enj^ynM in the firft Com- 
mandment does by no means exclude the 
Love of our Neighbour injoyned in the 
fccond, in cafe thefe two Loves be of 
two different Kinds, the former fuppofe 
Love of Defire, and the latter Love of 
Benevolence, there being no manner of 
Repugnancy between the defiring none 
but GOD, and the wilhing well to Men, 
and 'tis only the joyning thefe two dif- 
ferent Ideas under one common Name 
{Lave) that makes it feem as if there 
W€re. To love none but G O D, and yet 

H 4 to 



104. Letters concerning 

to love others befides GOD, do indeed 
feem to be contradiftoryPropofitions^but 
'tis all becaule of the Equivocation of the 
Word (Lave\ which when applyed to 
G O D in the firft Comoiandment fignifies 
defiring him as a Good, and when ap- 
plyed to Men in the fecond fignifies not 
defiring them as a Good, but defiring 
good to them. And cannot I thus love 
GOD only, and njy Neighbour too, 
and fo fulfil both Commands } Cannot I 
defire but one thing only in the World, 
and yet at the fame time wifh well to 
every thing elfe > 'Tis plain that I may, 
and that the Intirenefs of my Love to 
GOD does no way prejudice my Love to 
my Neighbour, fuppofing the latter Love 
to be of a different Kind from the former. 
Thofe therefore that will have one of 
thefe to be exclufive of the other, ought 
firft to prove that the word (^Love) ufed 
in both Commands is taken according to 
the fame Senfe in both, that by Love of 
our Neighbour is meant Love of Defire 
as well as by the Love of G O D, with- 
out which their Objedion is precarious, 
and inflead of proving, they do but beg 
the Queflion. And I fhould be glad to 
fee any of our Objedors prove inftead 
gf prefuiplng it, that by Iovq of our 



^ 




the Love of GOD. 105 

Neighbours is intended love of Defire. 
If they on the other hand demand what 
Proof I have that the Love of our Neigh-- 
bour here is not Love of Defire,! anfwer, 
firft that according to all the Laws of 
Difpute I may reafonabJy take leave to 
fuppofe that it is not, till my Objeftors 
prove that it is. Since my Account of 
the firft Commandment does not overthrow 
the fecond but only upon Suppofition that 
Love of our Neigh txDur there fignifies 
Love of Dfefire, they that lay that to my 
Charge ought in all Logick and Confcience 
to prove that it has that Signification, till 
which time I may fairly fuppofe that it 
has not, and that the rather becaufe they 
themfelves cannot pretend that Defire is 
the only thing that is called by the Name 
of Love, but muft needs allow that there 
is alfo a Love of Benevolence, and that 
thefe two have very diftind Idea*s.But not 
to infift upon a Privilege I do not need: 
I anfwer again that all thofe Arguments 
whereby I prove that GOD only ought 
to be loved with Love of Defire, do alfo 
implicitly prove that that is not the 
Love wherewith we are to love our Neighr 
hour, and confequently that that is not 
the Love intended in the fecond Com- 
Riap4wnt,bj;t only I/)ve of Benevolence. 

For 



lo6 Letters concerning 

For fince there are but thefe two Sorts of 
Love, and fince (which is the very Foun- 
dation of the Objeftion) the intire Love 
of GOD is not confident with the Love 
of our Ncighbour,as Love fignifies Defire, 
if I prove that GOD only ought to be 
loved with Love of Defire (as I think I 
have done) then it muft follow either that 
our Neighbour ought not to be loved at 
all, which is manifeftly abfurd, or that 
Love of Benevolence is the Love that muft 
fell to his Ihare, and that which confe-. 
quently is enjoyned in the fecond Com- 
mandment. And I wonder how it (hould 
enter into any Man's Head, to imagine 
that any other Lave than this was here 
intended. For though it were otherwife 
never fo lawful ana allowable to love 
our Neighbour with Lave of Defire, and 
he otherwife never fo capable of it, yet 
is it imaginable that this (hould be made 
the matter of a Command^ and required of 
us as a Duty ! Is it once to be thought 
that GOD who is an infinite Good, infi- 
nitely defirable, infinitely deferving of 
our higheft Affeftions, nay of our whole 
Love 5 and withal infinitely able to fatisfie 
and reward it, fliould Command us to 
Love or Defire a Creature, and a Creature 
as vain and infirm and infufficient, as 

much 



the Love of GOD. 107 

much a Shadow as our felves, and that 
immediately after he had in fuch Empha- 
tick Terms required us to fix our Love upon 
himfelf > Is it I fay to be thought, that 
GOD when he had laid it upon us as a 
Duty to repofe our felves upon his own 
Stable Centre, ftiould immediately after 
require us to lean upon that which cannot 
fuftain its own weight ? That when he 
had commanded us to come and quench 
our mighty Thirft at his own ever fprijig* 
ing Fountain (with whom as the Pfalmift 
fpcaks is the well of Life) he (bould in 
the very next Breath fend us away to a 
Ciftcrn, and that too a broken one ? That 
he ftiould firft call us to himfelf, and then 
as if he alone were not able to fuffice for 
us, and to fatisfie thofe inlarged Appetites 
which he had given us, ftiould call in the 
Creatures to bear part of the Expence, 
and fend us from himfelf to them i? Are 
thefe Thoughts worthy of GOD? But 
befides, let me Appeal to ?iny of thofe 
who contend for Love of Dcfire as the 
Love of the Second Commandment, do 
they ever feel any Remorfe of Confcience 
for having been wanting in Love of defire 
towards their Neighbour 3 or does their 
Confcience ever upbraid them for having 
thereby faird in their regard towards the 

Second 



1 o8 Letters concerning 

Second Commandment 5 or do they ever 
think it neceflary to Repent for having 
been defeftive in this kind of Lave ^ Our 
Confcience indeed does often upbraid to 
us our defire of Creatures (as you very 
well remark from our Baflifulnefs and Un- 
willingnefs to own our felves to be in 
Lave) but never that I know of, does it 
Reproach us for our IndifFerency towards 
them, or prompt us to Repent of it. And 
indeed it would be a ftrange kind of Re- 
pentance for a Man to fall upon his Knees, 
and Confefs to GOD as a Sin, that he 
had withdrawn all his Defires from his 
Creatures and iix*d them wholly upon him 5 
that he did not defire them as nis good, 
though at the fame time he wifti'd them, 
and was ready to do them all the good 
he could. I dread to fpeak the Language 
of fuch a Penitent, when I confider what 
an abfurd Command he Fathers upon 
God. For can we imagin that GOD 
will charge that Perfon as guilty of the 
Second Commandment who intirely loves 
him, and bears a hearty good-will to his 
Fellow Creatures, merely beCaufe he docs 
not alfo defire them as his good > Is it 
not enough to wifti and do well to them ? 
For tell me Madam, what you think of 
.this fuppofition : I will fuppofe a Man to 

place 



the Love of GOD. 1 09 

place his whole Affeftion upon GOD, 
and fo to loVe hirli with all his Heart, 
Soul, Mind and Strength, as to withdraw 
his Love from all the Creatures, and not 
in the leaft to defire any of them as his 
goods, only to defire good to them all, 
to do them good as far as he has oppor- 
tunity, and to endeavour to unite them 
to the true good. I further fuppofe him 
to perfcvere in this Difpofition of Mind 
to the very laft, and then ask whether 
you can think that fuch a Perfon has any 
thing to anfwer at the Bar of G O D^s 
Juftice for the Breach of the fecond Com- 
mandment, or whether you think GOD 
will damn and eternally feparate fuch an 
one from his Prefence, as defeftive in his 
Meafures of Charity merely for ndt ma- 
king Creatures his good, and the Objed 
• of his Defire ? But I need not put fuch a 
Queftion to you, who I am perfwaded at 
the firft Propofal of it will be fo far from 
judging fuch a Perfon to be a juft Objed 
of GOD'S difpleafure, that you will con- 
clude he has all that is neceffary to re- 
commend him to his higheft Favour, and 
to qualifie him to partake of bis Sovereign 
Happinefs. But 'tis a Queftion very pro- 
per to be put to my AdverfarieSjWho muft 
either fay that God will damn a Perfon 

of 



no Letters concerning 

of this Charafter or (which therefore ap- 
pears to be certainly the right) that Love 
of Defire is not the Love required of us 
in the fecond Commandment, but only 
Love of Benevolence, which whoever has, 
does by that alone fuflSciently fatisfie the 
Intention and Obligation of that Law. 

Befides, does not the Command fuffici- 
ently explain it felf > For fas you very 
judicioufly remark) our Saviour commands 
us to love our Neighbour as our felves, 
which by the Way fcems to me not only 
an abfolute Meafure, but a relative Cha- 
rafter, put in on purpofe to diftinguiih it 
from the Love of God. But now, as you 
well refume, our Love of our felves is not 
Love of Defire, but Love of Benevolence. 
Moft undoubtedly fo, for whoever refleds 
upon the Love of himfelF will prefently 
perceive that 'tis not a defiring of himfelf 
as his good, but a defiring of fome good 
to himfelf, as appears from that vulgar 
Expreffion, Charity begins at home^ and 
from the Vice of Self-love, by which we 
mean a craving atid feeking after more 
than comes to a Man*s Share without ha- 
ving Regard t6 the Community, or a 
greedy Purfuance of ones own private 
Intereft in Oppofition to that of the 
Publick. Your other Remark is no Ids 

important. 



the L(yve of GOD. Ill 

important, that our Saviour does alfo 
command us to love one another as he 
hath loved us, that is, fay you, not with 
love of Defire, but that of Benevolence. 
For as God he could not love us with 
love of Defire, and as Man he need not, 
fince love of Benevolence would anfwer 
all the Ends of his coming into the 
World, to which I add that neither need 
he as Man, becaufe as fuch he was perfo- 
nally united to the fupreme good, with 
which Union I cannot conceive how the 
defire of any Creature ftiould be confiftent. 
For as God himfelf cannot defire any 
thing out of himfelf becaufe of his own 
Fulnefs, fo neither can he that enjoys 
God defire any thing out of him becaufe 
of the Fulnefs of God. The Enjoyment 
of God does certainly put a final Period 
to all defire, and utterly quench the moft 
flaming Thirft of a Creature, and how 
then can he whofe defire is fatisfied, defire 
any further, or if he does, how then is it 
fatisfied ? For which reafonby the way, I 
think it neceflary to conclude that the 
BlefTed in Heaven finding all poffible 
good in the Enjoyment of God cannot 
defire any thing out of him, but that all 
Love of the Creature does utterly ceafe, 
and is for ever filenced in that Region of 

Happi- 



113 Letters concerning 

Happinefs, and that God is all in ajl to 
thofe that enjoy him. But now we can- 
not fuppofe any of the Blefled Spirits fo 
united to God in Heaven, as our Saviour 
was while upon Earth, who therefore muft 
be fappofed to love Mankind with love 
of Benevolence only (as being capable of 
no other) and confequently to require 
the fame kind of Love from Men to one 
another. But there needs no Argument 
from without to prove this to be his 
meaning. The Text you refer to CJo&n 
13. 34.3 fufficiently fpeaks its own Senfe. 

A nevp Commandment I give unto you^ that 
ye love one another. As I have loved yon 
that ye alfo love one another. Wherein 
'tis plain that our Saviour refers to that 
fignal Inftance of his Benevolence in his 
undertaking the Work of our Redemption, 
and in Proportion requires the fame fort of 
love from his Difciples, that if Occafion 
were, they (hould be ready to lay down 
their Lives for the Salvation of their Bre^ 
thren, as he had done for them, which is 
the natural Senfe of the Words, and made 
to be fo by thfi beft Expofitors that I 
know of upon the Place. 

But befidcSi does not the Scripture al- 
ways exprcfs our love towards our Neigh- 
bour as a love of Benevolence only > Love 

Cfays 



the Love ofG OD. 1 1 j 

(fays the Apoftle, Rdx». 15,10.) worketh 
no iU to hk Neighbour^ that is, does not 
hurt or injure him, but do him ajl good. 
Which Charafter fliews it to be truly 
meant of Love of Benevolence. I fay 
truly. And that 'tis meant of that only^ 
as b^ng of it fe!f intirely commenfurate 
to the lull Extent of Charity, is evident 
from the Words that follow. Therefore 
Love is the fulfilling of the Law. Of what 
Law } Not to be fure of the firft Table. 
For our Love to our Neighbour though 
ijever fo perfcft, cannot fatisfie our Obli- 
gation to GOD. It muft be therefore of 
the fecond Table, which being thus ful- 
filled by Benevolence can require no other 
Love than that. This is Demonftration. 
Befides, when the Apoftle fays, that Love 
if the fulfilling of the Law, as 'tis plain 
that by Love he means Love of Benevo-' 
fence, fo 'tis plain that by Law he means 
the fecond Table of the Law. And this 
he fays is fulfilled by Love. And indeed 
^tis very obvious to conceive how Love 
of Benevolence fulfills it, by keeping our 
Neighbour undamaged in all his Interefts- 
and Cgncernments. But how Love of 
E)efire fulfills it, or any one Precept of 
it, is to me very difficult to underftand 5 
an4 I ihould be glad to be informed how 

I Love 



114- Letters concerning 

Love of Defire can be faid to fulfil the 
Seventh Commandment, Than Jhdt not 
commit Adultery. Again, when die fame 
Apoftle reckons up the Fruits of Charity, 
does he make any mention of Defire, 
does he not defcribe them all by the Ex- 
preffions of Benevolence ? He fays. It 
fnffers long and is kind^ that it envies not^ 
vaunts not it felf^ if not puffed ufy does 
not behave it felf unfeemly^ feeks not hep 
own.^ is not eafily provoked^ thinks no evil^ 
rejoyces not in Iniquity ^ but in tbeTrmb^ 
that it hears all things^ believes all things; 
hopes all things^ and indures aU things 5 

but it feems the Apoftle had forgot to put 
in Defire, or elfe he thou^t it no Part 
of Chriftian Charity. And I muft con? 
fefs that I am of the latter Opinion. 

And as the Scripture always fpeaks of 
Brotherly Love and Charity in Terms 
importing Benevolence, fo whenever it 
fpeaks of the oppofite Vice does it not 
always defcribe it by contrary Charafters? 
Does it ever defcribe it by want of Defire > 
No, but by want of Good-Will, by An- 
ger, Wrath, Envy, Bitternefs, Malice, and 
fuch like Terms. And by what meafure 
of Love it is that Chrift will proceed in 
his Judgment of the World, whether by 
lx>ve of Benevolence or by Ix>ve of De- 



the Lonje ofGOlX 1 15 

fire I ffiall leave to be determined by what, 
he fays himfelf cpncerning that matter in 
the 25th Chapter of St. Matthei^. From- 
all which put together I think nothing 
can be more clear and certain than that, 
the Love intended and required in the 
fecond great Commandment of the Law, 
is not Love of Defire, but only Love of 
Benevolence, A|id I cannot imagine what 
(befides the Equivocation pf. the Word 
Love) ftiould incline Pepple to a contrary 
Notion, unlefs. it be that Claufe in the 
Commandment : And the fecond is like 
unto it^ whence perhaps it has been con- 
cluded that becaufe the firft is meant of 
Love of Defire, therefore the fecond muft 
be fo too. But he muft be either much, 
prejudiced, or very duli-fighted, that does 
not fee that by like unto it is only meant 
of equal Authority and Obligation in 
Oppofition to the Pharifaic Partiality to- 
wards the Precepts of the Law.. Well 
then the RefuU of the prefent Confide- 
rations is this, fince that raoft intire Love 
of .GOD I ftand for in the firft Com- 
mandment does not at all interfere with' 
the Love of our Neighbour in the fecond^ 
fuppofing that by Love there we are not 
to underftand Love of Defire, but only 
Love of Benevolence, and fince as I have 

I J (hewn 



1 1 6 Letters concerning, 

(hewn Love of Benevolence is the love 
there folely intended, I may now with 
Affurance conclude that the Account I 
have given of the (irft Commandment, as 
high as it is, is no way injurious to the 
fecond, the thing which you tell m^ is 
laid to my Charge. But you go further, 
qndertaking to Ihow that my Account of 
the Love of GOD is fo far from being 
prejudicial to that of our Neighbour, that 
it is the only true folid Foundation it can 
reft upon. I thwoughly approve what 
you fay upon this Part, but (hall not offer 
to add any thing to it,- becaufe indeed 
you have faid all. I promifed in my laft 
that in my next I would add fomething 
to the Reafon of our loving G O D fo in- 
tirely^ but having fallen upon a Vein of 
other Thoughts, and thofe of no flight 
Importance, muft beg you to let me bd in 
your Debt for this until another Oppor- 
tunity, as alfo for what you further de* 
fire concerning Pleafure. In the mean time 
Heave you to that of your own Medita- 
tions, more of which upon this great Sutj- 
p£t will be Jiighly grateful to, 

Madaw^ 
Bemnton, yopr Very hiimble Servant, . . 

Harch.5. J.NORRIS. 



the Love of GOD, 1 1 7 

LETTER IX. 
To Mr. Norris. 

YOU have fo clearly removed the 
Objedion made againft the intire 
Love of GOD, on account of its being 
prejudicial to the Love of our Neighbour, 
that I hope we (hall hear no more of that 
matter. And truly when our Objeftors 
have once felt (as they will for certain 
fooner or later) the Difquiet and Untafi- 
mfs^ we may well refer them to their own 
Experience for a full Conviftion of the 
^nreafonahknefs of fuch Defires. As far 
as I can perceive the Objeftion is found- 
ed upon Suppofition, That all Humane 
Love is a Love of Depre j a Love that 
arifes from and terminates in that infatia- 
ble Defire we have of our own Happi- 
nefs : Which methinks is a very great 
Reproach to Humane Nature^ which-^as 
bad as it is^ is not uncapable of a pure 
and difintereJBfed Benevolence.. Had they 
duly attended to what you have writ in 
^om Theory of Love^ Part i. S^dt.^. they 
would have difcerned the Falfenefs of 

1 3 their 



1 1 8 Letters concerning 

their Suppofition. But though all other 
Arguments (hould fail, ray own Experi- 
ence would aifureme that there is fuch a 
thing as unmixed Benevolence ^ for there 
are fome Perfons in the World to whom 
I could perform the higheft Services, 
without any the leaft Intuition of Re- 
ward, or Profpeft of bettering my own 
Being. 

And now, to proceed in our moft ex- 
cellent Subjeft, though I am very fenfible 
how much I injure it by my unskilful Ma- 
nagement 5 yet that I may give occafion 
to your better Meditations, and becaufe 
of the jiift Deference I pay you, I am 
contefltoi in Compliance with your De- 
fire, rather to difcover my Ignorance than 
be wanting in my Refpeift. I will there- 
fore firft declare what I think may be 
added to the Unreafonablenefs of loving 
the Creature ^ and fecondly what to the 
Reafonablenefs of interpreting the firft 
and great Commandment in tne ftrideft 
Senfe^ ail along fubjoyning fuch Re- 
marks as offer themfelves, and feem to 
me not altogether foreign to the Subjed. 

For the firft, I think it very unreafon- 
able to love the Creature, becaufe it can 

Sever anfwer the End of Love. We de- 
re only in order to Happin^fs, nothing 

being 



the Love of G OD^ 119 

being defii'able any further than as it pro 
inotes that End 5 but the love of the 
Creature is more apt to hinder than ad^ 
Vance our Happinefs, which is the End 
of loving, and therefore in all reafctti 
Creatures ought not to be thought defi- 
table. It may perhaps be objefted that 
this is metaphyseal Nonfenfe, for the 
Creature is fo neceflary in order to oui* 
Good, that whilft we are in the World 
we are fo fer fix)m being happy, that we 
cannot {o much as fubfift without it. I 
do not deny this, provided the Creature 
be ufed only as an Occafitm of our Good, 
and with tliat Indiffercn9y that is due to 
It. • But if we reft in it as ouf End, and 
defire it as the true C^nfe of our Pleafure^ 
it is fo fiur ftoffl being our G<xxi, that \t 
certainly becomes our Evil, in that it de- 
ludes ouf ExpeftdtionSi, flirinks under us 
when we have laid the Weight of our 
Souls upon it, and caufes us to fall into 
Ait and Emptinefs. That the Creature 
.cannot make us happy is evident from all 
thofe Topicks that declare its Vanity, its 
Uncertainty, and Inability to fill the Ca- 
pacities of the Soul. For let a^ yitu grafp 
as much jc^ the Creature as poffibly he 
can, he wfllftili fii^ an Emptinefs in his 
ISotti, and that. jCcMtnetfaing is ftilk wanting 

I 4 to 



1 ao Letters concething 

to compleat his Blifs, which is the Reafon 
why we are always upon the Hnnt after 
Variety of Enjoyments, like a Boy at the 
Foot of a Hill, who fencies if he were 
at the Top he ftiould touch the Sky, but 
when he comes there, finds it as much 
out of his Reach as ever. So true is that 
Conclufion of the wife King, who had 
both the fulleft Enjoyment of temporal 
things, and the beft Capacity to judge of 
them of any we know of, that aU k Vd- 
nity and Vexation of Spirit. And there- 
fore unlefs Reafon require us to place our 
Felicity in that whidi will certainly be 
our Vexation, it cannot be reafonable to 
love the Creature 5 and confequently if 
Love be not an unreafqnable Paffion, and 
if it be fit to love at all, 'tis highly rfea- 
fonable to love GOD, and him only. 

But if abftrafted Reafons can't perfwade 
us to the intire Love of GOD, let it 
further he confidered, that this is the beft 
way to fecure to us that which we are 
fo very fond of, even the Enjoyment <rf 
the Creature. It is moft certain that the 
Divine Beni^ity does neither grudge, 
nor envy, nor arbitrarily deny us any 
thing that has a true Tendency towards 
our^atisfaftion, and therefore when he 
djepriv€s;n$ of thofe acsSfional Goods that 

minifter 



the LoveofGOV^ 111 

minifter to our Eafe and Pleafure, 'tis 
only that he njay more fully fecure our 
Interelt in our true and only Good, by 
removing thofe things that flood between 
us and it, which eclipfed our View, with- 
drew our Afle&ions, and hindred us in 
the Enjoyment of it. And therefore to. 
fix our Lore warmly and entirely on 
GOD5 is ^^ ^^ft likely way to be fure 
of poileffing all that is good in other 
things. For the Crofles and Difappoint- 
ments that we meet with are Ynainly dc- 
iigned to divert us from our vain Purfuit 
after the Shadow of Good, and to diredl 
;US towards the Subdance 5 to (how us 
experimentally fince we will riot fuflicient- 
ly attend to what Reafon fuggefts, the 
Emptinefs and . Onfatisfadorinefs of all 
created good, that fo we may more di- 
reftly purfue, and infeparably cleave to 
the uncreated. 

I may add, that if we haivCT any Cene- 
fofity in us, any Senfe of the Dignity of 
our Nature, we cannot but acknowledge 
that 'tis little and low, and unbecoming 
the Soul of Man to place the leaft degree 
of its Happinefs in any Creature* whatfo- 
ever. Since the Soul is capalile-of enjoy- 
ing the firft and fovereign Good^ and 
-fince he freely offers himfelf to her Eni- 
•: / braces. 



I 

lil Letters concerning 

jbraces, 'tis as imurious to her Honour as 
to her Happinej[s to ftoop to a Creature, 
9nd to degrade her felf to fuch mean En- 
Joymeqts. 

The next thing to be done is to add 
fotnewhat to the Reafonablencfs of inr^ 
terpretiQg the great Commandtnent in 
the ftri^ft Notion. That out Saviour's 
meaning was that we ibould love the 
Lord opr GOD with aU the Force and 
Energy of our Souls exclufively of all 
other Loves, may be prcfumed frcun die 
great fitnefs there is in fuch a Love to 
promote tte D^gn of Religion in ge- 
Df r^I, and of the Chriftian Religion in 
particular^ which is, to retrieve me ori- 
ginal Reiftitudeand Perfeftion of Huitaane 
Nature, or rather to improve it 5 to new 
dr^w and perfed in our Souls that Beau^ 
tiful Image of pur Maker, which by our 
Sins and Errors vrt have defaced 5 in a 
wQrd, to make us as Godlike as is confi-^ 
fteqtt wfdl the Capacity of a . Creature 5 
and I know not any thing that does fb 
effectually conduce to this jm . the entire 
Love of GOD. The End of Love is to 
unite its felf to its Ob)eQ:, every Motion 
it makes is in order to that End, and fince 
Heterogpneous Subftances can jievw cor- 
dially unite, iince withcait Similitude of 

Difpo- 



the Love of GOD, 125 

Difpofition there can be no Union, there-^ 
fore Love does ever endeavour after 
Likenefs 3 it would if it were poflible 
have an Identity of ElTence, and, as far 
as the Nature of things will admit, incxx- 
porate with the beloved Objed. Hence 
nothing is fo excellent at Imitation as 
Love, nothing does fo eafily affimilate, 
which by the way, is one reafon why we 
ought not to love the World, becaufe of 
the Danger of being conformed to it. If 
then we love GOD intirely we (hall with 
all the Powers of our Soul endeavour to 
be like him, and according to the Degree 
of oqr Love, fo will be . the Neamefs of 
oqr Refemhlance. For we* cannot make 
COD like our fclves, if therefore we 
deiire a Union, we mufl: be coftformed to 
the Divine Nature. Lave^ as the wife 
Man long fince ohkry'djurpafes all things 
for Illumination. And wherefore does it 
fo, but becaufe it fixes the Eyes of pur 
Mind upon its Objeft, makes them keen 
and piercing 5 caufes our Thoughts to 
dwell upou its Beauties, for they will al- 
ways be bufied about what we love ? An(} 
as Love is very fagacioiis in finding out 
every little Pundilio that will recommend 
it to its beloved fo it is moft reftlefs and 
unwearied in the Pradice of all Endear- 
ments. 



1 34 Letters concerning 

ments. It will regulate dll its Operations 
by his Models, imitate all his litiitable 
Perfeftions, that fo it may moft power- 
fully recommend it felf, by that mdch is 
the great Band of AflFedion, Similitude of 
Nature. Since therefore the Love of 
GOD has fuch an Aptnefs to promote 
the great Defign of the Chriftian Reli- 
gion, *tis but reafonable to think that our 
Lord upon this very Account did fo highly 
magnifie, and fo ftriftly enforce it. And 
indeed, fince Love does fo powerfully 
influence all our Motions, fince all our 
Endeavours, all our Operations and Va- 
rieties of Afting tend to nothing elfe bqt 
the Accompliftiment of fome Defire, 'tis 
btit fit and decorous that all our Defires 
ftiould fix on him, whofe we are, and 
for whofe Glory we were Created. 

To the Rcafonablenefs of the Love of 
GOD, we may further add the Neceffity 
of it, and that upon a double Account. 
Firft, becaufc this is the only Vital Prin- 
ciple (^f Hoiinefs,the only efrcftual Means 
of fecuring our Obedience, and confe- 
quently of preparing us for the Enjoy- 
ment of G O D. There is no way of 
uniting our felves to GOD but by 
keeping his Commandments, for then, 
and not otherwife, do rpc dwell in him and 

he 



th Ijyve of GOV* 135 

He in m. Since therefore Obedience 
is neceflary in order to Happinefs, that 
which is the only true Principle of Obe- 
dience muft be of equal NecefSty. And 
that without Love there can be no true , 
Obedience, and where-ever Obedience is 
found 'tis a certain Criterion of Love, is 
plainly evident from our Saviour's dif- 
conrfing in the 14. and 15 Chapters of 
%%. John J fo that to derive univerfal Obe- 
dience from the Love of GOD, or to ar- 
gue from that Obedience to the intire 
Love of GOD, is as found a Way of 
Argumentation as to prove any other 
Efrcd by its Caufe, or Caufe by the Eflfeft, 
It were eafie to Ihow how every particular 
puty is neceflarily confequent to the Love 
of GOD, how it is founded upon, and 
dpes naturally fprins from it, But I (hall 
not here enter into the Detail, I will only 
take notice of the Management of our 
Thoughts, becaufe on them depends our 
Words and Adtions, and derive the Ne- 
cfffity of the intire Love of GOD, frpm 
the Impoffibility of governing ou^ 
Thoughts as we ought without it. New 
this is moft certain, that what we love 
will be uppermoft in our Minds 5 there is 
no better Mark to difcover our love thaji 
by Qbfervinp what fc the moft frequent^ 

^ubjeft^t^ 



I a 6 Letters concerning 

Subjeft of our Thoughts. For Thought 
feems to me to be nothing elfe but the 
Determination of the Soul to fome cer- 
tain Objeft which (he defires either to 
contemplate or enjoy. She forms in her 
felf the Images and Reprefentations of 
what (he delights in, or contrives how (he 
may obtain it, and remove what ftands 
betwixt her and it : And therefore where- 
ever the Weight of our Defire re(b, the 
Stream of our Thoughts will follow • 
'tis to no Purpofe to drive them away, 
for though we may for a while put a Force 
on them, they will infen(ibly (leal back 
again. So that if We mean to keep our 
nedtts trith dll Diligeftce (the only way 
to fecure pur outward' Demeanour) We 
mu(t above all things take, care to regu- 
late our defire, fince it is by this that. vp;e 
fall into Deftruftion. If therefore otif 
Hearts be too bufie about any thing in 
this World, I know no other Way to cure 
that Diforder but by redifying our De- 
fire : let us c6afe to love it, and we (hall 
eafily reftrain our Hearts from being jin- 
ordinately bufied about it. 

It is Jiot fo much the Force of Temp- 
tations, alas ! All that the World and 
the Devil can offer to bribe pur Hearts is 
paultry and inconfiderable 5 it is liot lb 

much 



A 



the Lofve of GOD. 1^7 

much the utavoidabte Infirinity of our 
Nature, which has not fuch an Averfion 
to GOD as ws prdtefld ^ but it is ^ ' 
defed of our love, our wilful fiiifpldcihg 
that Divine Afiedion, our vdluhtary han- 
kerings after the Creature that im us at 
Diftance from the Oeator. For let any 
one who has been intitb^tely ac^inted 
with the Movements of his own Heart 
tell me, whether he dbe^ liot fihd thkt all 
the ftiong Gufts of Temptatioti blow fVbtn 
this Quarter? Whilfth^diily contemplates 
the Divine Perfeaions, looks on GOt> 
;is his true an^ only gtHod and defire^ hhti 
accordingly, is not his Obedience probipt 
and ttady, does not his Mind moVe with 
Alacrity and unwearied Vigor, alod are 
not all its Motions regular and pkafing > 
But no foona: does his delire ftep into k 
By-path, and he fuffer himfelf to doat on 
t»p Creature, but all is unhi'n'ged and fells 
ihto diforder, the Wheels of his Chariot 
iiiove flowlf, his Thcm^fts wander, his 
Devcdon 4anguiflies, his Paflioi!is grow 
unruly, his Intentions corrupt, and his 
good Anions become lame and broken. 
Let us not therefore complain of our 
Uftleflhefs in the Worfliip of GOD, out 
GoMnisfs and Wandrings in his 'Service, 
how nnich labour it cofts us to raife up 

our 



I a8 Letters concerning 

our Hearts to Heaven, and put them In a 
right Tune, but rather let us complain of 
our want of Love, for that is the true 
CauCe of all this Untowardnefs, all our 
Sins and Infirmities, our moral Miftakes 
and ImperfeAicMis proceed from nothing, 
elfe but this 5 let us once banifli our Idols 
from our Hearts whatever they are, and 
w^ftiall quickly find that all will be well 
again. For in vain do we fearch for 
Rules to regulate our Miners, and pre- 
fcribe Remedies to cure our Infirmities, 
which do but baffle our Induftry and rcr- 
proach our Skill, our Prcfcriptions will 
do us but little Service till we have re- 
£;>nned our Love, the Mifapplication of 
which is the true Source of all our Dif- 
order, the corrupt Root of all out Faults. 
If therefore we would come up to our 
holy Religion, if we would be thofe 
wife and excellent Creatures that GOD 
defigns we ftiould, let us above all things, 
fix our Love on its proper Objed, put it 
in a regular Motion, and then do but 
allow it Scope, and faithfully purfue its 
Tendencies, and we need not be afraid 
of doing amifs ^ we Ihould run the Race 
that is fet -before us with Chearfulnefs and 
Vigor, in a dired. Line, and with an' un- 
wearied Conftancy. For when Love is 

arrived 



^ 



the Loue of GOD. 1 19 

arrived at its Zemtb, when GOD is aH 
in all^ then and not till then, fhall we 
be confummate ; and the greater Progrefs 
we make in this love whilft we ftay on 
Earth, the nearer Approaches do we make 
to Perfeftion. Could we love G O D as 
intirely as he loves himfelf, we fhould 
then be perfeft as our heavenly Father is 
perfeft. 

One way whereby the love of G O D 
mightily facilitates our Obedience, and 
fecures the Performance of it is this, it 
reduces our Duty to a very narrow Cora- 
paft. For it is not the Difficulty but the 
Multiplicity of our Tasks which is the 
Caufe that fome of them are negleded. 
We cannot fay of any particular duty that 
it' is impoiSble, and yet through the 
Shortnefs of our Views, and Narrownefs 
of our Powers, it frequently happens 
that fome of our Devoirs are unperfor- 
med. But though a Man cannot attend 
to many things at once, y^t fure he can 
to this one, to lave the Lard his GOD 
with all his Hearty &c. that is, to move 
towards him with all the Force of his 
Nature. And though I cannot fay tWs 
will fecure him from all pitiable Infirmi- 
ties, yet I dare venture to affirm it will 
from all imputable Tranfgreffions, and 

K keep 




8^0 Letters concerning 

keep him as free fix>m Sin as is conf^ent 
with the Imperfedion of this prefent 
State : And certainly to be fortified a- 
inft ^he Venom, and fecured from the 
laipg^bfSin, is no jnconfiderable Blef- 
fing* Repentance is indeed an excellent 
Antidote to expel the Poyfon, but ^tis 
much better not to take it For though 
I were fure to be delivered from the evil 
Confequences of Sin, I would not com* 
mit it merely on account of its natural 
Turpitude and concomitant Evil. Tis 
fo exceedingly ugly in its* own Naturc, 
and fuch a Reproach to ours^ that tho^ 
I know GOD (fo great is his Goodnefs) 
will pardon me upon my true Repentance, 
yet I know not how to forgive my felf. 
Even that very Goodnefs which frees us 
from the Puniftiment, encreafes the Shame 
of Srp, and makes it fo.much the more 
abominable in that it is an Offence againft 
fo greatv'a Goodnefs* Jofeplfs Expoftu- 
lation^ in my Mind is very emj^atick : 
How can I Ao this great Evil and fin 
againft GOD? He do^ not fay how 
can I expofe my felf to the Hazard of 
Difcovery, the Pain of Repentance, and 
all the evil Effefts and Puniftiments of 
Sin > No, that which was moft grievous 
to him^ and i% fo to all ingpnuous Tem« 

pers. 



the Love of GOD. 151 

pers, was the Oppofition that is in Sin to 
the Nature of GOD, the Affront that it 
offers to his Majefty and Goodnefs. In 
his Opinion Sin in its felf was the only 
confiderable Evil, the only thing to be 
avoided and fled from, for certainly of 
all Puniftunents this is moft deplorable, 
to be given up to our own Hearts Lu(t, 
and fuffered to follow our own Imagina- 
tions. But to return from this Digreflion. 
What was obferved above is by the 
way a fufficient Apology for the ftri(9:nefs 
of the Divine Law. For (ince 'tis GOD 
only that does us good, and he only that 
h our Good 5 fince all our Happinefs con- 
fifts in a Union with and Enjoyment of 
him 3 and (ince without Holincfs there 
can be no Union with GOD, and that 
without Obedience to his Commands we 
can never partake of his Nature 5 there- 
fore Holinefs is of abfolute Neceffity, be- 
caufe it is impoffible to be happy without 
being holy. To fuppofe it is to fuppofe 
the greatefl Abfurdity, and to imagine 
either that G O D is not our Happinefs, 
or that 'tis poffible to enjoy him without 
being like him. We have therefore no 
reafon to complain of the ftrideft Pre- 
cepts of our Religion; For when we are 
commanded to chanfe our fdves from all 

K 2 Ftlthinefs 



153 Letters concerning 

Filthinefs of Flejfj and Spirit^ to perfe9 
^^ Holimfs^ to deny and mortifie that Part of 

jgs which is the Scene of Temptation, the 

corruptible Body which prtjjks down the 
Souly to be holy in all manner of Converfa- 
tion^ and in a word, to be perfe9 as our 
Heavenly Father is perfeS 5 we are but in 
other Words commanded to be as happy 
as ever we can, no difficult Task one 
would think ^ we may rather wonder why 
it ihould be enjoy ned us, fince Nature 
and the Reafon of things diftate and 
prefs it on us. But though we all natu- 
rally purfue after Happinefs, though we 
all conftantly defire it, yet we are too 
apt to miftake the means of attaining it. 
And therefore G O D has thought fit out 
of his unfpeakable Goodnefs to fend his 
• Son into the World, to (hew us by Pre- 
cept and Example the true way to Felici- 
ty, and explicitly difcover that which we 
all blindly purfue. He does not cxaft of 
us ai)y,Puty, but what if we had a juft 
. jriew of things we would chufe our felves, 
and only engages us by all that Deference 
that is due to his Wifdom, by all that^ 
Obedience we owe to his Authority, to 
feek for Happinefs there only where we 
are fure to find it 5 to make ufe of fuch 
•Methods as will infallibly fecure us from 

delufion 



the Love of GOD. 15^ 

delafion and difappointment 5 and there- 
fore we can never anfwer it either toRea- 
foh or good Nature if we be refraftory 
to fuch exuberant Kindnefs and Conde- 
fcenfion. 

But fecondly, the intire Love of GOD 
is neceflary, becaufe unlefs we love GOD 
only, we do in efFeft not love him at all, 
the defire of GOD, and defire of the 
Creature being in their own Nature in- 
compatible, and by allowing our felves 
to love the one, we do by confequence 
ibrfake the other. For befides what you 
have already very excellently obferved to 
this purpofe in the Difcourfe it felf, it 
may further be confidered, that Love be- 
ing the fame to the Soul that Motion is 
to Bodies, as Bodies cannot have two 
Centers, or^ different Terms of Motion, 
fb neither can the Soul have a twofold 
defire. We may as reafonably exped that 
a Stone ftiould go up Hill and down Hill 
at the fame time, as that the Soul (hould 
at once love GOD and any thing befides 
him. To love is in other words to make 
the thing beloved our End : We move 
towards good in order to make that good 
our own, and to embrace and acquiefce 
in it. Now he that loves the Creature 
does it becaufe he expefts fome degrees 

K 3 of 



l^^ Letters concerning 

of Happinefs (at leaft) from it, arid fo 
far makes it his End, and confequently 
does not center upon GOD as his com- 
pleat and only Felicity, for if he did, it 
were impoflible to with-hold any degree 
of his Love from him. Again, if as you 
(aid in your laft, he that enjoys GOD 
cannot defire any thing out of him, be- 
caufe of the infinite Fulnefs of GOD, 
then certainly he that defires any thing 
befides GOD, whatever he pretends, or 
however he deceives himfelr, does not 
truly love GOD, for if he did, that 
would quench all Defire of the Creature. 
He that has difcovered the Fountain will 
not feek for troubled and failing Streams 
to quench his Thirft : He can never be 
content to ftep afide to catch at the Sha- 
dow who is in Purfuit and View of the 
Subftance. The Soul that loves GOD 
has no occafion to love other things, be- 
caufe it neither needs nor expeds Felicity 
from them. Whenever it moves towards 
the Creature it muft neceffarily forfake 
the Creator, and it can never truly turn 
to him without a Dereliftion of all be- 
fides him. 

Perhaps this may be thoaght a skrewing 
up things to too great a heigth, a wind- 
ing up owr Nature to a pitch it is not 

able 



the Love of GOD. 155 

aWc to reach 5 and though it may be fit 
and dfefirabie, yeSt it is not at prefent pra- 
dicabte td love GOD with fuch an in- 
tcnfe ivd abftrafted AfFeftion. But 1 
confider, that fince we ire fo apt to tirm- 
ble down the Hiil^ fo inclinable to take 
up with the leaft diid lowdi Meaftir6s ^ 
fince 'tis SmpolSble we fhould love too 
much, and very great danger of otrr lov- 
ing too little 5 and that our Priftice doei 
conftantly come Ihdrt of our Theory, out 
Cdpy feldom reach the Ori^nal 5 it can- 
not be amifs to reprefent our Doty in the 
ftrifteft Meafures, to excite our Endea- 
VoOTS to do as well as we cah^ fince we 
cannot expeft to compafs what we ought^ 
or pay tb the Divine Majefty what is dUt 
to his tranfcendent Excellencies ahd infi- 
nite Love to us : And fince our )uft Debt 
cannot be difcharged, is it not fit tb raife 
our Compbfitidn as high as GUr Slotk will 
bear > Befides, the Defign of all this is 
only to fecute and ImprdVe oiit Happi- 
nefs, and is it not an odd thing for a 
Man to complain df enjoying too touch, 
and of being over happy .<? His Defire of 
Happinefs is ever flaming, he may indeed 
be, and often is miftaken in his Applica- 
tions to particular Objeds, can it then 
be thought a Difcourtefie to direct him 

K 4 to 



1^6 Letters concerning 

to that never-failing Spring, that ftable 
Center which cannot difappoint him > 
And though perhaps he may think it at 
firft an uneafie thing to reftrain his De- 
fires from their ufual Haunts, and to put 
them in a new and quite contrary Motion, 
yet if the Reafonablenefs of the thing 
cannot, at leaft let his Kindnefs to him- 
felf perfwade him to make the Experi- 
ment, and I doubt not but that in a very u 
little time he will be fully convinced that } 
the intire Love of GOD is as prafticable 
and pleafurable as 'tis rational and per* 
feftive. 

And ' indeed, nothing does fo much 
greaten and inlarge the Mind as the Love 
of G O D 5 for when it has fo vaft a 
Good before it, it nraft needs ftretch it 
felf to receive the FuUeft Draught that 
ever it can, and to be covetous and am-^ 
bitious of the fupreme Good are very 
jaudable Qualities. Farther yet, the Love 
of GOD will infpire the Soul with the 
moft generous Sentiments. A noble Mind 
though it love never fo heartily, will not 
defire Love again unlcfs it can pretend to 
fome Merit to recommend it. And though 
Alerit is a thing that Creatures can have 
no Title to in refpeft of their Creator, 
yet fonje faint Refemblance of it they 

ipay 



fhe LoveofGOD. 157 

may afpire to. Though they cannot 
ftridly deferve, yet they may do that 
which through his gracious Acceptance 
will entitle them to his Favour, which 
though it be not Merit, yet through his 
Condefcenfion is equivalent to it And 
therefore an ardent Lover of GOD will 
confider how incongruous it is to prefent 
him with a mean and narrow Soul, a 
Heart groveling on the Earth, cleaving 
to little dirty Creatures. He will difcern 
that nothing but what is great and beft 
is fit for GOD's Service, and will ftrive 
even to out-do himfelf that he may pro- 
cure an Oblation tolerably fit for fuch a 
Majefty. To conclude, when we can fay 
with David^ our Hearts are fixed^ when 
they are intirely fixed on GOD, we have 
very great reafon to fing and give Prai/e^ 
for then we are truly and very happy, 
but never till then. 

And now Sir, you have all that at pre- 
fent occurs to my Mind on this noble 
Argument, and when you have added 
what you promife, I think there will not 
remain much more to be faid upon this 
Subjed, unlefs you will pleafc to aifign 
the Caufe why we are fo backward to a 
Love that is both fo reafonable in it felf, 
and fo pleafant and profitable to us. It 

may 



1^8 Letters concerning 

may indeed feem exceeding (Irangp to a 
confiderate Perfon, why any one who 
has the Ufe of Reafon, (hould not love 
GOD, or why he (hould love any thing 
befides him. For does not die Will as 
naturally and neceffarily feek after Good 
and cleave to it, as the hungry Appetite 
does to its Food, or the thirfty Hart to 
the refrefhing Streams / And does not 
GOD comprehend all poffible Good, is 
he not the very Fountain and fole Author 
of it > Is he not Goodnefs it felf, that 
communicative Goodnefs which gave Be^ 
ing to all things, in whom all things are, 
aikl confequently whatfoever is good in 
them muft in a more eminent manner fub- 
fift in him, as you have fully made out 
in a juft Difcourfe upon the Subjeft- And 
admitting that he were not the efficient 
Caufe of all our Good, of all cHjr plea* 
fing Senfations ; yet, according to thfe 
Principles of all Mankind (for tibey who 
deny GOD and his Goodnefs do not 
dcferve to be ranked in tliat Number) all 
the good that we do or can enjoy, is, if 
not that way, yet fome way or other de- 
rived from him. Whither then can the 
Will poffibly move but towards him > 
Where can it quench its infatiable Thirft 
but in this ineidiaufiible Ocean of De- 
light > 



the Lwe of GOD. 139 

]j^t > And having once tafted of this 
true and only fatisfying Good, is it jtof- 
fibk that it (hould defire or relUh any 
thing befides him ? It is indeed ftrange, 
very ftrange that it (hould I And no body 
could imagine it if Experience did not 
daily declare it From whence then does 
this Abfurdity arife > What s the reafon 
that we do not all ieek for Good there^ 
and there only, where we all afcknowledge 
it does in the moft eminent manner re« 
fide > Why the mifchief is, that thou^ 
we habitually know this, yet we do not 
adually confider it, or at leaft not fo 
thoroughly as to determine us to tlus 
Choice. 'Tis our Misfortune that we live 
an animal before we live a rational Life ^ 
the Good we enjoy is moftly tranfmitted 
to us through Bodily Mediums, and con* 
trafts fiich a Tinfture of the Conveyance 
through which it paffes, that forgeting 
the true Caufe and Sourfe of all our 
Good, we take up with thofe occafional 
Goods that are more vifible, and prefent 
to our animal Nature. Befides, the Mi- 
ftakes of our Education do too much 
confirm us in this Erron We fuck in 
falfe Principles and Tendencfcs betimes, 
and are taught, not to thirft after GOD 
as oiir only Qood, but to c}oie with thofe 

vifibl^ 



1 40 Letters concerning 

vifible Objefts that furround us, to reft: 
and ftay in them. Thefe we leam to co- 
vet and call our Goods, to value our 
felves upon, and be pleafed in the Enjoy- 
ment of them. And as we grow up we 
fee the generality of the World purfuing 
the fame Method, and think it our Wif- 
dom to ftrike in with the vulgar Herd. 
Probably we may have been taught to call 
on G O D, to acknowledge him the giver 
of all good things in a formal Addrefs, 
and when we have done fo we fancy we 
have paid our Tribute, difcharged our 
Duty, and therefore enquire no further 
into the meaning of it, but put on our 
Religion as we do our Cloaths in confor- 
mity to the Faftiion, nay perhaps do not 
fo much ftudy, or make fo many Inquiries 
about that as we do about the other. 
Thus are we infenfibly betrayed into a 
wrong Motion, and blindly run on in it, 
till at length we become fo glew'd to the 
Creature, that 'tis almoft as difficult to 
wean us ftom it, as it is to change the 
^Leopard's Spots, or whiten the Negro's 
Skin : And finding the Propenfion fo ear- 
ly and fo ftfong, we imagine that Nature 
not Cuftom is the Author of it, whidi 
certainly is a very grofs Miftake. ^*Tis 
voluntary Error, fuperinduced Habits, and 

evil 



the LoveofGOD. 141 

evil Cuftoms that fets vs in OppoGtkm to 
GOD, it is not through any Natural 
Averfion that we turn from him* For 
what can Nature defire but a Supply of 
all her Wants, and a Union with the 
Fountain of all Felicity ? And flie is not 
fo blind in other things as to miftake a 
Stone for Bread, and Poyfon for Food. 
Nor would (he go retrograde in this her 
great and primary Motion, if we did not 
clap a falfe Byafs on her, and force her 
into a By-path. Cuftom, as the Philofo- 
pher well obferved, is no fraall matter : 
It is the moft difficult thing imaginable 
to recall our Thoughts, and withdraw 
the Stream of our AfFeftions from that 
Channel in which they were ufed to flow. 
Which is a further proof of the great 
Neceffity that lies upon us to cut off all 
Defire from the Creature beting, to (hut 
up all the Avenues of our rouls from 
created Good, even from thofe deareft 
Idols that bear the neareft Rcfemblance 
to our Maker, to whom our Benevolence 
is due, though they ought not to ufurp , 
our Dfefire. 

By this Time 1 have fufficiently tired 
you, and therefore muft not ftay to en- 
large upon the Ufefulnefs, and confe- 
quently the Value of that Book of yours 

you 



1 4.1 Letters nncermng 

you were pleafed to fend me, I can only 
return mf Thanks for it, and all your 
other Favours, as it beccnnes 



Sir, 



S*/«^ .!S Your moA oblk'd 

and humble Sorant. 



LET^ 



the Lwe of GOD. 14^ 

L E T T E R X. 
Mr. NorrisV Anfn?er. 



HAving been fo happy in my laft as 
to give you no lefs ^ Satisfadion 
concerning the fecond DiflBculty arifing 
from the feeming Inconfiftency of the in- 
tire Love of G O D with the Love of 
our Neighbour, than concerning the firft, 
fu^efted from the Caufality of GOD 
in reference to Pain as well as Pleafure, 
I (hall now refume that Thread of my 
Difcdurfe, which in the laft fave one I 
begun, but I^ Occafion of the Obje&ion 
eroding my way was forced to interrupt 
2ind proceed to add to what both you 
and my felf have already oflfered, fuch 
further Improvement as I think neceflary 
in Older to the fuller EftaUiftiment of the 
intire Love of GOD- The Truth and 
Realbnablenefs of which Notion the 
mote I think of it, feems to me fo very 
evident, that as I cannot with-hold my 
Aflent ftom it my felf, fo were it not a 
matter of Praftice wherein our Paffions 

and 



14-4 Letters concerning 

and Interefts are concerned, as well as 
Theory that imploys our Underftandings, 
I (hould ftrangely wonder at all rational 
and confiderate Perfons that can* But 
this in great meafure filences my Admira- 
tion. For this is the great Difadvantage 
that all Truths of a Moral Nature lye 
under in comparifon of thofe that are 
Phyfical or Mathematical, that though 
the former be in themfelves no lefs cer- 
tain than the latter, and demonftrated 
with equal Evidence, yet they will not 
equally convince, nor find a parallel Re- 
ception in tiie Minds of Men, becaufe 
they meet with their Paffions and Lufts, 
and have oftentimes the Will and AfFe- 
dions to contend with, even after they 
have gained upon their Underftandings 5 
whereas the other being abftraft and in- 
different Truths, and fuch wherein they 
are wholly difinterefTed, ftand or fall by 
their own Light, and never fail to be re- 
ceived according to the degree of Evi- 
dence which they bring with them. Were 
I to deal only with the Rational Part of 
Man, I (hould think that half of what 
has been (aid would be enough to con- 
vince that, but confidering the Nature of 
the Truth I advance, and what a (fcrong 
Intereft is made againft it in the aflFe- 

dionate 



the Lave of GOD. I45 

&ionate part of Hdttiane Nature, I can* 
not expeft to find the generality of Men 
over-forwafd to receive it* But then on 
the other fide neither (hall I fot the fame 
Reafon think their Backwardneft any Ob^ 
|edion, or meafure the Truth of the Pro- 
pofition by the Number of its Adherents* 
For when all is done, Mfen will believe 
no further* than they like, and were the 
Notion nevci* fo felf-evident, or the Ar- 
guments for It never fo convincing and 
demonfbrative, the mere Oppofition that 
it drries to the Paflions and lower Icte- 
refts of Men, would, L doubt not, be 
enough to make it a Paradox. For what, 
to have our Hearts that have been for 
many Years, even from the firft Pulfes of 
them, cleaving and fixing and adhering 
to the World, taking Root in it, and inr 
corporatihg with it by a thoufand little 
Strings and Fibres, pluckt up and torn 
away from it all at once, and our Hands 
that had taken fuch faft hold of it, at 
one Blow forced from its fweet Embraces? 
To be at once intirely divorced from all 
fenfible Objeds, to have all our Idols 
demolMhed, and our high Places taken 
down, to be divided from the whole 
Creation, and to have all the Ties bro* 
ken which by a numerous Union linked 

L u$ 



9 46 Letters concerning 

us to it, to be forced to undergo a my- 
ftical Death, a fpiritual Crucifixion, to 
be crucified to the World, and to have 
the World crucified to us 5 in one word, 
to dye to the Body and World wherein 
we live, and withdraw our Love from 
the Objefts of Senfe that we may place 
it all upon a fpiritual and intelledual 
Good, who can expeft that thefe things 
(hould down with the generality of Man- 
kind, or that a Doftrine that encounters 
fuch a ftrong Tide of Prejudices fiiould 
find many Difciples in a fenfuai and un- 
mortified World ? The other Precepts of 
Morality crofs only fome particular Inte- 
refts of Man, and fight only againft fome 
of his ftraggling Paffions,, but t]bis en- 
gages with the whole Body of Concu- 
pifcence, and at once encounters the 
whole Intereft of Prejudice, all the Force 
that is or can be raifed in Humane Na- 
ture. Which when I confider, however 
convinced of the Truth of what I con- 
tend for in the Recefs of my Mind, I can- 
not hope by the cleareft and ftrongeft 
reafoning to reconcile the generality of 
the World to a Notion fo oppofite to the 
Paffions, Cuftoms and Prejudices of it. 
Only there may be here and there fome 
liberal and ingenious Spirits who have in 

great 



the Love of GOD. 147 

great meafure purged themljblves from 
the Prejudices of Senfe, difingaged their 
Hearts from the Love of fenfible Objedts, 
and fo far entered into the Methods of 
true Mortification as to be capable of 
Conviftion, and of having their Minds 
wrought upon by the Light and Force of 
Reafon. And if we have not yet faid 
enough between us to convince fuch as 
thefe, I would defire them further to con- 
fider. 

That the natural tendency of the Will 
being from the Author of our Natures 
muft needs be right, it being impoflible 
that GOD Ihould put a falfe Bias upon 
the Soul, and that therefore 'tis the Per- 
fedion and Duty of every rational Crea- 
ture to conform thofe Determinations of 
his Will that are free to that which is na- 
tural, or in other words to take care that 
the Love of his Nature and the Love of 
his Choice confpire in one, that they 
both agree in the fame Motion, and con- 
center upon the fame Objed. Thus f^r 
I think I advance nothing but what is 
clear and unqueftionable. We are there- 
fore only concerned to confider what is 
the natural Inclination of the Will, or, 
what that Objed is to which it naturally 
tends and ftands inclined. To this the 

L 2 * general 



I i|.8 Letters concerning 

general Anfwer is eafie, and fuch as all 
Men will acquiefce in, who will be ready 
to confefs that the natural Motion of the 
Will is to Good in general. And that 
this is the true natural Term of its Mo- 
tion is plain, becaufe the Wills of all 
Men, how different foever in their other 
particular Determinations, agree in this, 
and becaufe we have no manner of Free- 
dom in this Motion, or Command over 
it, but are altogether paffive in it, which 
(hews it to be properly a natural Motion. 
I lay down this therefore as an evident 
and undeniable Propofitloft, that the na- 
tural Motion of the Will is to Good in 
general. But now how can the Will be 
moved towards Good in general but by 
being moved towards all Good > For to 
be moved towards Good as Good, is to 
be moved towards all Good. And how 
can the Will be moved towards all Good 
but by being moved towards a univerfal 
Being, who in himfelf is and contains all 
Good ^ For as the Under ftanding cannot 
reprefent to it felf univerfal Ideas, but 
by being united to a Being who in the 
Simplicity of his Nature includes all Be- 
ing, fo neither can the Will be moved to 
Good in general, but by being moved to- 
wards a univerfal Being, who by reafon 

of 



the Lave of GOD. 149 

of the Infinity of his Nature comprehends 
all Good, that is, towards GOD, who 
is therefore the true Term of the natural 
Motion of the Soul. 

And that he is fo will be further evi- 
dent, if we confider the Operation of 
that Caufe by which this natural Motion 
is produced. This Caufe I here fuppofe, 
and have elfewhere (hewn to be GOD, 
and indeed who elfe (hould be the Caufe 
of what is natural in us, but he who is 
the Caufe of our Natures. Let us fee now 
how this Caufe afts. GOD cannot ad 
but by his Will, that's moft certain. But 
now the Will of GOD is not, as in us, 
an Impreflion that he receives from with- 
out himfelf, and which accordingly car- 
ries him out from himfelf, but an inward 
felf-ceotring Principle, that both derives 
from, and terminates ialiimfelf. For as 
GOD is to himfelf his own Good, his 
own Center and Beatifick Objeft, fo the 
Love of G OD can be no other than the 
Love of himfelf. Whence it will follow, 
that as G O D muft therefbre be his own 
pnd, and whatever he wills or afts he 
niuft will and ad for himfelf (as I have 
already reprefented it in the Difcourfe of 
pivine Love) fo alfo that the Love which 
p in ws muft be the Effeft of that very 

L 3 Jjove 



I ^O Letters concerning 

Love which GOD has for himfelf, there 
being no other Principle in the Nature of 
GOD whereby he is fuppofed to ad. 
Whence it will further follow that tb? na- 
tural Tendency of our Love muO: necef- 
farily be towards the fame Objeft upon 
which the Love of GOD is turned. For 
fince Love in all created Spirits is not pro- 
duced but by the Will of G O D, which 
it felf is no other than the Love which 
he bears himfelf , it is impoffible that 
GOD fliould give a Love to any Spirit 
which does not naturally tend whither his 
own Love does. And fince it is evident 
that the Term of his own Love is hira- 
felf, it is as evident that the fame is alfo 
the natural Term of ours, that as our 
Love comes from him, fo it naturally 
tends to him, and that as he is the effi- 
cient, fo he is alfo the true final Caufe of 
the Will of Man 5 which I take to be no- 
thing elfe but that continual Impreffion, 
w;hereby the Author of Nature moves him 
towards himfelf. Which by the way may 
ferve to furnifli us with the true Reafpn 
of a very confiderable Maxim which has 
hitherto been entertained without any, as 
being thought rather a firfl: Principle than 
a Concluficu, I mean, that the Will of 
Man cannot v/ill Evil as Evil. Which 

'•I • ' * 

though 



the Love of G OD. 1 5 i 

though a Truth witnefTed by conftant 
Experience, and fuch as all Men readily 
confent to, and acquiefce in, I defpair of 
ever feeing rationally accounted for upon 
any other Suppofition than the prefent. 
But according to this the Account is clear 
and eafie. For here the Will it felf being 
fuppofed to be nothing elfe but that ge- 
neral Impreflion whereby GOD moves 
us continually towards himfelf, it is plain 
that we cannot poflibly will or love Evil 
as Evil, as having no Motion from GOD 
towards it, but to the contrary, viz. to 
himfelf who is the univerfal Good. And 
as we may demonftrate a Priori from this 
Impreflion whereby GOD moves us to- 
wards himfelf, that we cannot love Evil 
as Evil, fo from the Experience we have 
that we cannot love^Evil as Evil, we may 
argue, as a Pofieriori, that our Wills are 
by their original Motion carried towards 
COD, and that he is the true and fole 
Objed.of their natural Tendency. 

Which is alfo further proved by all 
thofe Arguments which I have already, 
and may more at large produqe, for our 
feeing all things in GOD as our univer- 
fal Idea. ^ For fince the Will of Man is 
moved only towards what the Spirit per- 
ceives, as is univerfally granted, and by 

L 4 Expe- 



155 Letters concerning 

Experience found to be true, and fince 
as it has been fuflSciently proved, we per- 
ceive all things in GOD, who prefents 
to Spirits no other Idea than himfelf, 
who indeed is all, it plainly and necefTa- 
rily follows that the natural Motion of 
our Wills is and muft be towards GOD, 
and him only 5 who having made him-r 
felf the fole Term and Objeft of our 
natural Love, ought alfo to be made by 
us the fole Objeft of that which is free, 
fince as was laid down in the Beginning, 
the Determinations of our Will that are 
free ought to be conformable to that 
which is natural. 

The whole Sum and Force of this rea^^ 
foning lyes in this Syllogifm. That which 
is the fole Objeft of our natural Love 
ought to be the fole Objeft of that which 
is free. But the fole Objeft of our natu- 
ral Love is GOD, therefore GOD ought 
to be the fole Objeft of that which is 
free. The firft of thefe Propofitions is 
evident from that moral Reftitude which 
muft neceflarily be fuppofed in the natu- 
ral Motions of our Love, as proceeding 
from the Author of our Natures, to which 
therefore the free Motions of it ought to 
be conformable. The fecond Propofition 
p th^t which I have profcffedly proved, 

and 



the LoveofGOD^ 155 

arid I think fufficiently. Wherefore I look 
upon the Conclufion as demonftrated , 
viz. That COD ought to be the fole 
Objeft of our free Love, which being 
the only Love that falls under Command, 
and the only one that is in our Power, 
we muft conclude that GOD requires all 
the Love which he can poffibly require, 
and ail the Love which we can poffibly 
give, even our whole Heart , Soul and 
Mind, which we are not therefore to di- 
vide betwixt him and the Creature, but 
to devote to him only, and religioufly to 
prefent as a Burnt-offering intirely to be 
confumed at his divine Altan And thus 
the whole Motion of our Wills falls un- 
der the Right and Title of G O D, who 
becomes the juft proprietary and adequate 
Objedi of them in their largeft Capacity 
and utmoft Latitude. There are but two 
forts of Ntotion^ in our Souls, as in our 
Bodies, natural and free, and both thefe 
belong of right to GOD, who has ta- 
ken the greateft Care to fecure them to 
himfelf. He prevents that which is na-^ 
tural, and he requires that which is free. 
The firft he makes hi^ own by natural Inr 
ftinft, the laft by Commands, by Bene- 
fits and Obligations, by his own Exam- 
ple, ty jpeftowing qpon ijs tjie Ppwer tq 

love. 



] 54- Letters concerning 

love, by direfting this Love towards him- 
felf, and by all the Reafon in the World. 
We are therefore to caft both thefe Loves 
into one and the fame Channel, and make 
them both flow in one full Current to- 
wards GOD. We are to make GOD 
the only Objeft of our Love of Choice, 
as he has made himfelf the only objeQ: 
of our natural Love, and fo joining this 
double Motion together to employ the 
whole Force of our Nature upon him, 
and love hini with all our Power from 
whom we have all the Power that we have 
to love. 

And how happy is that Man that can 
do fo, that caii thus order and regulate 
the mafter and leading Paflion of his Na- 
ture, that can thus love the Lord his GOi) 
with all his Heart, Soul and Mind ! How 
to be envied is that Man who can thus 
difingage his AfFeftions from the Orca* 
ture, who can thus recolleft, fix and fet- 
tle his whole Love upon GOD! It may 
feem that he is not fo, and if we will 
hearken to the fallacious Reports of our 
Senfes and Imaginations, they will tell us, 
that this is to enter into a dry, barren, 
difconfolate and withering Condition, 
atfd will reprefent it as a ftate of horrible 
Privation, as a difmal Solitude. But if 

it 



the Love of GOD. 155 

it be a Solitude, 'tis fuch an one as that 
of Alofes upon the holy Mount, when he 
withdrew from the People to en)oy the 
Converfe of GOD : As that of our Sa- 
viour, when he tells his Difciples that 
they (hould all defert and leave him 
alone, and yet that he was not alone be- 
caufe his Father was with him. Happy 
Solitude, when the Creatures retire from 
us, and leave us to the more full and free 
Enjoyment of God, and thrice happy he 
that enjoys this divine Retreat, that \ can 
force the Creatures to withdraw, com- 
mand their Abfence, and wholly empty 
his Heart of their Love that it may be the 
more free for the Reception and Enjoy- 
ment of him who is able to fill the larg- 
eft Room he can prepare for him there I 
How ravifliing and lafting are his De: 
lights, how folid and profound is his 
Peace, how full and overflowing * are his 
Joys, how bright arid lucid are the Re- 
gions of his Soul, how intir^ and un- 
difturbed are his Enjoyments , what a 
fettled. Calm pofleffes his Breaft, what a 
Unity; ojF ' Thought , what a Singlenefs 
and Simplicity of'Deflre, and what a firm 
ftable Reft does his Sour find when (he 
thus repofes her ftill Weight upon GOD ! 
How loofe and difingaged is he from the 

World. 



i 56 Letters concerning 

World, and how unconcerned does he 
pa(s along through the various Scenes and 
Revolutions of it, how unmoved and 
unaltered in all the leveral Changes and 
Chances of this mortal life ! While o- 
thers are tormented with Fears, and Cares, 
and Jealoufies, unfatisfied Defires, and 
unprofperous Attempts, while they are 
breakiog their ov^n and one anothers 
Reds, for that which when they have it 
will not fuflfer them to fleep, while they 
are tortured with their Lufts, and with 
thofe Wars which are occafion'd by them, 
while they are quarrelling and contendr 
ing about the things of the World, huntr 
ing about after Bubbles and Shadows, 
beating up and down after Preferments^ 
at once climbing up and falling down 
from the Heights of Honour, purfuing 
hard in the Chafe of Pleafure, all the 
way along complaining of Difappoint- 
ments, and yet (ftrangc Inchantment) ftill 
faying in a Stock for more : In one word, 
while (hey are thus fuffering the various 
Punifhments of an irregular and rajfpla- 
iced AflFeftion, fo that the whole World 
feems to be like a great troubled Sea, 
working and foaming and raging, till all 
below 00 Storm and Tempeft, his Bread 
in the mean while, like the higher Regi- 
ons 



the L(yVeofGOl). 157 

ons of the Air, enjoys a Heavenly Caliti, 
a Divine Serenity, and being wholly un- 
hinged and diflodged from the Cfeattire, 
and intirely bottomed upon another Cen- 
ter, upon the infinite Fulnefs and Suffici- 
ency of G O D, he has no ijiore part in 
any Worldly Commotions than the Inha- 
bitants of the Ait have in an Earthquake, 
nor is any further concerned in the Af* 
flidions of thofe below him, but only to 
wonder at their Folly, and to pity their 
Mifery. 

Then as to his Moral State, muft not 
the Life of fuch an one needs be as in- 
nocent and vertuous as 'tis pleafant and 
happy > 'Tis the Love of the Creature 
that is tlje general Temptation to Sin, and 
what St. fames obferves of Wars and 
Fightings, is as true of all other immoral 
Mifcarriages and Diforders, that they 
proceed from our Lufts. And how pure 
and chafte then muft his Soul be that is 
thoroughly purged of all created Loved, 
and in whom the Love of G OD reigns 
abfolute and unrival'd, without any mix^ 
ture or competition. How fecure muft 
he needs be from Sin, when he has not 
that in him which may betray him to it I 
The Tempter may come, but he will 
find nothing in him to take hold of, the 

World 



158 Letters concerning 

World may fpread round about him a 
poyfonous Breath, but it will not hurt 
him, the very Cleannefs of his Conftitu- 
tion will guard hira from the Infedion. 
He ha? but one Love at all in his Heart, 
and that is for GOD, and how can he 
that loves nothing but G O D be tempted 
to tranfgrefs againft him, when he has 
nothing to feparate him from him, and 
all that is necelfary, perhaps all that is 
poffible to unite him to him ! What is 
there that ftiould tempt fuch a Man to 
Sin, and what Temptation is there that 
he has not to incite him to all Goodnefs, 
and what a wonderful Progrefs muft he 
needs make in it > Whither will not the 
intire Love of GOD carry him, and to 
what degrees of Chriftian Perfeftion will 
he not afpire under the Condud of fo 
divine^ fo omnipotent a Principle / If 
Obedience be the Fruit of Love, then 
what an intire Obedience may we exped 
from fo intire a Love, and how fruitful 
will this Love of GOD be when there 
are no Suckers to draw off the Nourifh* 
ment from it , ^ when there is no other 
Love to check and hinder its Growth ! 
The Man that harbours Creatures in his 
Bofom, and divides his Heart betwixt 
GOD and them, will be alwaysin great 

Danger 



the Lwe of GOD. 159 

Danger of being betrayed by them, and 
though he fliould with great Care and 
habitual Watchfuhiefs preferve for GOD 
a greater Share in his AfFedions (which 
is the utmoft fuch an one can pretend to) 
yet he will have fuch a weight conftantly 
hanging upon his Soul, that he will be 
never able to foar very high, or arrive 
at any Excellency in Religion. But what 
is there on the other fide that can hinder 
him who has emptied his Heart of the 
Creatures, and devoted it intirely to 
GOD from reaching the higheft Pitch of 
attainable Goodnefs ? How orderly then 
and regular will be his Thoughts, how 
refined and elevated his AfFeftions, how 
obedient and compliant hisPaflions, how 
pure and fincere his Intentions, how ge- 
nerous and noble his Undertakings, what 
a forward Zeal will he have for G O D's 
Glory, how chearful, vigorous and con- 
ftant will he be in his Service, with what 
Angel ick Swiftnefs will he perform what 
GOD requires of him, or whatever he 
thinks will be pleafing to him, and how 
will he run the way of his Command- 
ments when his Heart is thus fet at Li- 
berty I At Liberty not only from this or 
that particular Incumbrance, this or that 
Luft or Paflion, but from the whole Bo- 

dy 



l6o Letters concerning 

dy of Sin, the Intire Weight of Concur 
pifcence. 

But Madam, while I thus fet out the 
Reafon and Advantage of the intire Lbve 
of GOD, I (till make further way for 
your Queftion, how comes it to pafs that 
we are fo backward to a Love which is 
both fo reafonable in it felf, and fo plea- 
fant and profitable to us ? You might 
have inlarged your Queftion with ano- 
ther, fince Men are backward, not only 
to pay that intire Love which they owe 
to GOD, but even to acknowledge the 
Debt, and are not only loath to obey the 
Command, but even to underftand it, 
\ will ufe a thoufand Arts and Devices to 

I fliift off and evade the genuine Force of 

it, and rather than fail will fay, that 
though G O D in the moft plain and ex- 
prefs Terms calls for our whole Love, 
yet he means only a part of it. Strange 
and amazing Partiality and Prefumption! 
But of this general Backwardnefs to re- 
ceive the Senfe of this plain Command 
(as plain as T&oh Jhalt hdve no other Gods 
hut me) I have already hinted an Account 
in the former part ol this Letter, and as 
to the Backwardnefs of putting it in Pra- 
ftice, that has been fo excellently and 
fully accounted for by your better Hand, 

\ that 

I 



\ 



the L(yve of G D. 1 6 1 

that there is nothing left for mine to add 
upon this part of the Subjed : And in- 
deed fcarce upon any other. I ftiall there- 
fore conclude all with a very pertinent 
Paffage out of one of the Prayers of St. 
Anfiin^ in the 35th Chapter of his Medi- 
tations. FiB dlvpajT (I befzech thee) mjf 
Heart mth dn nnquenchable Love of thee^ 
with d continual Kemembrance of thee^ that 
Jo as a burning Flame ^ I may burn all over 
in the Sweet nefs of thy Love^ tphich may 
not he tf^uencheA even by many Waters. MaRe 
me fweetefi Lord to love thee^ and through 
the Defire of thee to lay down the weight 
of all carnal DefireSy and the moft heavy 
load of earthly Concupifcences^ which fight 
again fl and weigh down my miferable Soul^ 
JO that running expedrtely after thee in the 
Odor of thy Ointments^ I may be worthy 
to arrive to the effe^ually fdtisfying Vifion 
of thy Beauty. For two Loves ^ one good 
and dnother had^ one fweet and another 
bitter^ cannot dwell together in the fame 
Breaji, and therefore if any one love any 
thing befides thee, thy Love, God, is not 
in him. Love of Sweetnefs^ Sweetnejs 
of L'Ove, that dojl not torment but delight^ 
Love that fir ever remainefi fincere' and 
chaft. Love that does always burn and art 
never extinS;' fweet Chriji, good Jtfi^, my 

M God, 



1 6 3 Letters concerning 

Godj mj Love^ kindle me M wef tfigb 
thy Fire^ vpith the Lme of thee^ with thy 
Sweetnefs^ with thy Jvy^ with thy Pleafigre 
and Concupifcencey which is hdly and goody 
chajie and clean ^ quiet and fecure^ that he^ 
ittg all full of the Swtetnefs of thy Imvc^ 
au^ on fire with the Flame of thy Charity ^ 
I may love thee my GOD with my whole 
Heart J and with all the Power of my iff 
ward PartSy having thee in my tkart^ in 
my Mouthy and before my Eyesy always and 
every where y that Jo there may be no Place 
in me open to adulter ous Loves. 

You fee Madam; that St. AujHft here 
moft cxprefly prays fm the very fame 
thing for which I argue, the 530ft intire 
Love of GOD, and who is there that 
can juftly fcruple to fay Amen to this Di- 
vine ffayer of his } I for ray own part 
aflent to it moft heartily, and fo befeech* 
ine the holy Spirit, the great Difpdnfer 
ot Charity, to ftied this intire Love of 
GOD into the Hearts of you and me, 
and all gpod People, that fo we may 
love him as a GOD, with a Love truly 
worthy of him, I leave you to the Cor- 
reftion of thefe my Thoughts, and to 
the Enjoyment of your own 3 which 
whether. yoti will further communicate 
upoa Air Subjear, th^t fo the fame Hand 

may 



the Laae of GOJD. 165 

may conclude which begun it, I leave 
you to confider, while I juftly* thgnk you 
for the Advantage of your paft Corre- 
fpondence, and afliire you that I cannot 
exprefs how very much I am thereby ob- 
liged to continue 

'J 

Bmirtfm, \ YouiJ moft fkithful FmncL 

Maya<. . . 

- ' and humbid Servant, • ? 

: f.NORRlSi 



t » ' 



,- ' . • .1 



- /; 



T^m" Defimtim i^ Vledfm it right oi 
fdf ^ it goes, but* thdt k tio fnttlnrthm 

tohdx, vpe call d ne^ind DefixiiiMi 



, >• 1 



I r 
I 



I ♦ ♦ 



'ji 









t 



« 

r • * " ■ 

' . 7 f I- ^ • 'f i' ^ 1 

, . , / I • f t * . i^ J ^ t 



M):3 i :•; Lv^i^it4g:Tf!L 



1 66 Letters €Oi(kermi^ 

when di4 Objeft is 'finite, and perhaps 
unworthy of our Choice, and well *may 
the Obferyation hold when oiff Hearts arc 
united to infinite Perfeftion, when all 
die beauteo'is things that furround us arc 
but faint Shadows of our BeloTed^s Ex- 
i3ellencies, when oof Lof tieft Praifes are 
no bettdf than Detra?aions,and the higheft 
fttch of Love we can poffibly skrew up 
our Souls tinto, infinitely unworthy erf 
him,were k poffible to offer more. Whea 
therefore in my folitary Mufings I enter- 
tain my felf with thefe agreeable Con- 
tetnplatiohs, I fancy the whole intelleftual 
World is offering up it felf a flaming Sa- 
'Crifice to op D.and that there is no Con- 
tention among intdligent Beings but who 
Ihall ^ith greateft Ardour, love, praife, 
•and^ferve the 'gltJrieus Author of thsk 
Ifap^neft f- Whatever it is, lafflifufe *: 
.totightH64!)ef(j :' Fot ^Iw tan forbear ito 
admire ^Beauty when ^plainly repWfenttd 
tO*is feye .<? Or td be raviftied 'with har- 
Tfn^tubBs Numbers when they^ briskly 
Iflrike kis Ear > Who is fo dull as hot to 
^defirp WhAt , is lovely, . and relifli What is 
^^ood. ? Why then -is he not affeded, nay, 
i/ehy Is he npt trahfpoPted when c«refied 
% all that is good,aHd-ifl? that iS'JcWely ! 
Wen the Fruition ^oifBeaJuty and Har- 
mony 



iT*'»^'- * • ■- i ■ J , - f y u 



the Love of G OD. 167 

moiiy, and Goodnefs in the Abftrad arc 
offered to him ? Why we fliould with-hold 
our Hearts from GOD, when it is not 
more our Duty than our Intereft and Hap- 
pinefs to offer them to him, I confefs I 
cannot yet difcern. And though much 
has been faid to account for this Abfur- 
dity, yet I miift needs dwn it ftill employs 
my Wonder; For why fliouId even our 
Affei9:ions oppofethe Love of GOD, 
fiiice it does not deprive them of any 
real good,why (hould they not rather dole 
with it, (ince its only Defign is to fatisfie 
aiid perfedi them > Our very lower Ap* 
petit6s;will find more true Satisfadion in 
the Service of GOiE) and Reafon, than 
in their own irregular and exorbitant 
Sway. Sure I am that a Man may be 
much happier by withdrawing his Heart 
from the Creature than he can be in fclea^ 
ving to it. Nay, (let ^ it \o6k ever To 
mudi like a Paradox) 'tis impofSble for 
him to be in any Degree happy, Vhilft 
mifplaced AfFeftions do (b far'previif bs 
to denominate him an irregular Lover and 
wicked Man. So true is that -faying T have 
•fomewhere met with, that there is 06 Joy 
but in GOD, and no Sorrow but iq an 
evil Confcience. But admitting the Crea- 
ture were able to entertain us, what wife 

M 4 Man 



l68 Letters concerning 

Man wou'd think much to relinquifli a 
lefler for a greater good, or (hew any In- 
clination for lower Delights when courted 
to the Enjoyment of the higheft .<? Why 
then do we relifli any other Pleafure ? 
Since there is as much difference betwixt 
this and all other Delights, as between the 
Quinteflence and the Facei^ the kindly 
Work of Nature, and the preternatural 
Operations of Medicine ? Other Loves, 
even the very beft, have fomewhat of 
Grolfnefs in them which offends even 
whilft they pleafe, and have always their 
Pleafure mixed with Pain 5 whereas Di- 
vine Love is fo connatural to the true 
Tafte andReliflb of the Soul, that although 
the Sentiments it excites are highly ravi^ 
ihing and entertaining, though they fill 
every Faculty with a full Tide of. Toy, 
they are withal fo pure and undifturbing 
that they are Sweets that know no Bitter, 
Joys without Allay, Pleafurcs that have 
fio Sting, fuch as I would fain defcribe, 
but that I am not Miftrifs of Eloquence 
enough to exprefs them. But whatever 
it be in which a KJan find^ the greateft de- 
light, let him abftfaft from it all that is 
uneafie and difgufting, let him double and 
treble the Toy, let his working Fancy 
exalt it to tfle utmoft Hei§l^th> and per^ 



the Love of GOD. 169 

haps it may afford him fome faint Idea 
of this delighful Love, which, yet Expe- 
rience will convince him falls as ftiort of 
it as artificial Fruits do of the natural and 
true. All which does only encreafe my. 
wonder why^ there are fo few Votaries to 
this only real Blifs ! For why a Man fhou'd 
rejeft his Happinefs is a Queftion we can 
never anfwer, but that he does, is what 
we daily fee. Well then may it repent 
GOD that he has made Man, fince Man 
has made himfelf fuch an abfard,irrational 
Creature ! Well may the Divine Good- 
nefs paffionately exclaim, that thef 

»ere wife I O that then were fuch an Heart 

in themj fince 'tis impofSUe, even to an 

Almighty Power to make him happy who 

is refolved he will not be {q. And herein 

mefhinks appears the DeviPs greateft Ma- 

fter-piece, that he can give fuch a falfe 

Reprefentation of things, and fo much 

to out Difadvantage, as to put us upon 

the violent Purfuit of good where we 

can never find it, and to blind us fo that 

we may not difcern it where it is 5 and 

our own moft notorious Folly in being 

fo wretchedly impofed on by him. Fw 

certainly the Ways of Vice are as toil- 

fome and uneafie as they are fbolifh am! 

abfurd 3 th^y are not only uoprofitable 

but 



lyo Letters concerning 

hot unpfeafaot coo, the Confideration of 
which is the reafon why I was (b de(iroHs 
of a Oefiiiitibn of Pleafure from your ac- 
ourate PeiL For Pleafure as I take it is 
tiie grand Motive to Adion, and after all 
dsie Thoughts I have employed about the 
matter, I am not able to conceive how 
there can be any fuch thing 's^s Pleafure in 
ought but Vfrtue, nor confequently what 
Inducement to any other Courfe : 'Tis as 
irrational to look for Pleafure from ecccn- 
trick Addons, as to expe& Harmony from 
ah Inftrument unftrung and out of tune. 
As therefore the Love of GOD Is -the 
Sism of oar Duty, fo by confequence *ris 
fhe Heightk of our Pleaftir^,^ the Joy of 
ijie whole' iN4an 5 and ^^ere Wfe 4iot ftrangp 
unaccountable (>eatu¥es, it WouM be the 
Bfufinefs of ow livei, the End of -all 
dur.AaionsL - 1 will not i therefore f^^rch 
ftar Arguments to enforte tl^ i^ve,- -aij^^ 
thofe incomparable ones yo« liave ftv well 
inculcated, J which are indeed unanfwera- 
ble, and not to' be oppofdd by any thing 
bdt that which is as unconquerable as 'tis 
jinaeeoontaMe, * wilful Folly: ' For if w€ 
aoei refolwed liot^to praftife^xfee WcMKieris 
theileffs that ^e are avi^rfe ft) adimt^thfe 
Britiih. bf t^iifr ^The^l-y.iCei^aifi^it is; w6^^ 

**©* but .i|iake\the^ Tryali^iioUpiown^ E$^pe- 
^•'5 rience 



J . « "•» 



\ 



the Love af GOD. ijt 

rieiiee would fqperfede the Trouble of 
DKpute. The Fruibion of fo perfeft and 
^insufficient a Beiug, wouM convince us 
tiat lie who is altogether and infinitely 
lovely is worthy of all ow Love- For 
aiter all the Argument-s we can ur^, after 
b11 the Swafives we can offer, there is 
none like to that of the Pfalmift, ti^ 

wti ftCithat the Li>rcl u gracwMf I Woud 
we but open oiw rSouls wide to receive 
his Influences, we ihou'd need no more 
Conyifiion that 'tis^he, and he only who 
can repieniih and content them, and«thene- 
fore ^tis'he only 'who ought -topoffefs 
them. And were I .writing .txy.the World, 
to Berfoms not fcnfihJe.of their C^iga* 
tions, . i wou'd defire them only to open 
their oEyes, to fix their Thou^ts fteddily 
on the Divine Beauty, and then tell me 
if tteile he any thmg fit tcr irivaliiim, or 
if that Creature he wjOTthy cif his LDve 
who can divide :the leaft Grain of hk 
lAffbdions from him, or can difcem Ama- 
bUhay'm any. thing bofides ium } I wou'd 
Aatreat them if they will not be .aftive in 
iindling this Divine Fife, to be paffive 
kt leaft, not to skreen themfelves from 

his Bpams, nor put a wilful Bar to ex- 
dodetiie natural Operations of his Excels 
:|ieiici€S (for this j[]kufaboi;n Will oi Man, 

^^ we^k 



172 Letters concerning 

weak as he is, does often check Omnipo- 
tence) and then let me ask them if they 
do not feel the Rays of his Goodnefs 
fweetly infinuating into every part, clear- 
ing up the Darknefs of their Underftand- 
ings, warning their benummed Affedlions, 
regulating their oblique Motions, and 
melting down their obftinate, ingratefiil, 
difingenuous Wills ? Do they not feel 
thefe Cords of a Man as himfelf is plea* 
fed to call them, thefe filken Bands of 
Love, thefe odoriferous Perfumes draw* 
ing them after him, uniting them to him 
by the moft potent Charms } Can they 
any longer refrain from crying out. Thou 
haft overcome, O Lord, thou haft over- 
come, ride on triumphantly, lead my 
Soul in Triumph as thy own Captive, thy 
Love has conquered, and I am thine en- 
tirely and for ever. And blefiod is the 
Man that is fo overcome ! He never lived 
till now, nor knew what Pleafure meant 5 
fome Shews of it might tantalize and 
abufe him, but now he is delivered from 
that Enchantment, and has free Accefs to 
the Ocean of Delight, he may now take 
full Draughts of Blifs, without fear of 
want or danger of fatiety ! He may— • 
what (hall I (ay > He may be as happy as 
his Nature will permit, and has notlung 

to 



the LoveofGOD. 17 j 

to hinder him from being infinitely fo, 
but that he is finite and a Creature 1 

And now if our happy Man be fo len- 

fible of his Blifs, that he is defirous by 

all means to confirm and fecure it, I 

know no better way than by frequently 

contemplating the infinite Lovelinefs and 

Love of GOD. For as it was this that 

begat Love, fo this muft preferve and 

continue it, nor is it poflible it (hould 

ever go out fo long as he fupplies it with 

thb Fuel. And if for the greater Security 

of his Happinefs, and that he may not 

deceive himfelf in a matter of fo vaft 

Importance, fince moft Men will take it 

very ill to have it faid that they are not 

Lovers of G O D, and yet there are but 

few who really are fo, if on this Confi- 

deration he be inquifitive after the genu* 

ine Properties of Divine Love, (befides 

what has already more loofely been hint* 

ed at) the great comprehenfive and infe- 

parable Effefl: of it is univerfal Obedience, 

as I intimated in my laft. But to be more 

particular 5 a flaming Love to GOD will 

create the greateft Indifference imaginable 

towards the World and all things therein. 

For fince all thofe Tyes are broke that 

glewed us to it, we are no longer moved 

or affefted by it* I need not tell you Sir, 

that 



164 Letters concerning 

L E T T E R XI. 
To Mr. Norris. 

SIR, 

T Hough I intimated in my laft that 
I had concluded my Meditations 
on this Sulked, yet I find like its divine 
Objeft it has no Bounds. And belides 
the natural Vaftnefs of the Argument, 
your convincing and pathetick Difcourfes 
fy rouze my Underftanding, fo warm my 
AfFedtions and enlarge my Thoughts, that 
I have once more refumed this noble, this 
pleaiing, this perfe&ive Theme, which is 
the Solace of my Heart, the Entertain- 
ment not only of my Leifure, but of my 
moft bufie and beft employed Hours. For 
what have we to do, what is it that de- 
ferves to be the Bufinefs of rational Crea- 
tures but to adore and love their Maker > 
It were not worth while to live in the 
World,* were it not to love GOD and 
pay our Devoirs to him 5 and could the 
Atheifts mad Hypothefis poffibly be true, 
our greateft Wifdom would be with all 
i^xpedition to haRtn out of it. 



But 



the Love of GOD. 165 

But though the Account you give or 
the Love of G O D be fo accurate and 
entertainmg, yet I dont in the leaft won* 
der that you comprehend this faaed 
Theory fo fully, and explain it fo effica-^ 
cioufly, fince the great Evidence of Di* 
vine Love has auured us that he will 
manifeft himfelf to them that love him t 
they (hall fee him, whilft the blind Worla 
has no Vifion of his Beauty 5 they only 
can declare the Sweetnefs of this hidden 
Manna, who tade and feed on and are in- 
timately acquainted with it 

Nor need you wonder at my Prolixity 
which you are pleafed to encourage and 
commend, becaufe it is an Evidence that 
whatever my Underftanding be, my Will 
is right, and though I am very fenfible , 
the one is too defe&ive to deferve Com- 
mendations for its Notions, yet you are 
pleafed to overlook its Imperfedions 00 
account of the Honefty and Regularity of 
the other. Love you know is talkative, 
as its Thoughts are ever bufied in con- 
templating, fo is its Tongue in difplay- 
ing the ^auties of its Qbjeft ; it wouM 
have all the World admire tteit which it 

• • _ 

doats on, and every thing he fees or 
hears ferves to excite the dear Idea in a 
Lovers Mind. This we may obferve 

M 3 when 



178 Letters conterning 

our RelaridnS) rather from JtaCUce^ «ni 
the Rules of Oeconomy, than from Love. 
For fince die AbUities of Man ate fitike 
lidd determinate, and be cannot exc^ 
univerfally any Ad of Benevolence but 
f4^yars and Wiihes, 'tis therefore reafitn- 
able he flioukl b^in to communicate t& 
Benefits to thoTe within his own Velrg^ 
tad £>iftria, whofe Wants he is beft ac^ 
quainted with, and can moft conv^ient^ 
ly fapply ^ whoie Bendits to Urn are 
, prefunied to require tMs Return, or dfe 
tfadr Neceffities faefpeak him the fietdl 
Author of their Relief. 

I iiarthBr obferve, that Refipatton and 
Charity are the Tefts by which GOt) 
«x{dores every Man's Love. By the one 
he tries the profperous, by the other Uie 
afflided He therefore who hasthisWorldi 
Godd, and whlhholds his Advance item 
his BtDther wlio nedds it ^ and hie Who 
becaufb he lias not the good things of 
tlus World murmurs and grudges at theit 
Difpenfatioti, and envks thdm that have, 
caniiot be laH to have the Love (A QQiO 
Bihim. 

In the Jad place, a tru6 Lover of GOD 
i£ always ccmfiftent with himfelf, one 
part of his Life does not cl^ and dif- 
agree with the pther. Hd thiit ha3 n^fly 

Loves, 



tb» Lave if Xj Ot). 179 

Loves, has by confajuence many ftnds 5 
whence it is that we to6 'olten Tee many, 
who in tile main are good People, lafli 
01ft into Tome particutar Irtegolkrity, 
\rfiidi like a Fly m a Box of Ointment, 
tnam the Swectnefs, and deftroys the 
Lorelinels of theit Virtue, and brings 4 
RcpuMch on Religion it Telf. The vul- 
gar and Men of "carnal Appetites partly 
out of Ignorance, and partly to lijhteii, 
as they fancy, their own Crimes, being 
too ptont to refleft th 
tntereft, diat time-fer 
Solicitude for the Wotl 
too gf eat Opinion of t 
torionfnels on others 
tenders to Piety are To 
into, even on that ui 
wfaofe Livay they wea 
eiVes no Allowance t 
Mixtures, howevet he 
to adffiii llKtn. Edt « 
one grand Principle, tl 
our Lives are uniform and regular where- 
in the great Beauty of Piety conlills. For 
I am apt to think that, ht Mens Pretences 
What 'they will, that Life only is truly 
religious which is all of a Piece ; when 
a Man having delftiefaiely bottomed on 
welt-chefen and folid Prmciples, adscon- 
N a Aantly 



l8o Letters concerning 

(lantly and fteddily aceording to theio, 
without Fear or Favour. 

To conclude, this Divme Love is the 
Seal of our Adoption^ the Earneft of the 
Spirit in our Hearts, it being impoffible 
that the Soul that truly loves GOD IhouM 
ever fail of enjoying him. Tis the Anti- 
paft of our Happinefs here, and the full 
Confummation of it hereafter, j Thrice 
happy Soul that canft look through the 
Veil, and notwithftanding that thick Cloud 
of Creatures that obfcures thy View, dif- 
cern him that is invifible, live in the Light 
of his Countenance all the Time of thy 
fojourning here, and at laft pure and de- 
fecate, with a Kifs of thy Beloved, breath 
out thy felf into his facred Bofom ! 

Aha now Sir I have done 5 for what 
have I fprther to add, fince I cannot fuf- 
ficiently exprefs how much I think my felf 
obliged to you ? As ^or all your other 
Favours^ fo particularly that you give me 
Occaficyn to declare my felf 

:■■ Worthy Sir, 

/««? 21. Your moft unfeigned Friend, 

as well as humble Servant. 

...... i . 

' ' Appen- 



the 'Lwe of GOD, 1 8 1 



I V *" » 



APPENDIX. 

• » 

Two Letters by way of Review. 

I ... 

, To Mr. Norris. 



YOUMl wonder Sic, that I look back 
• upon, a finiftied Subjed, but becaufe 
you have in thefe Letters anfwered moft 
of the Objedlions that are made againft 
your Printed Difcourfe, and becaufe I 
am very defirous your Hypothefis (hould 
appeair in rits full light, though in my 
firft r conceded one of the main things 
you contend for, viz. That GOD k the 

only efficient Caufe of all our Senfition,:^ 

yet fincc very many objeft againft this 
Propofition, and fomething has oiFefed it 
felf to niy Thoughts^, perhaps nor -alto- 
gether Impertinent, give mt leave to exa- 
mine the matter a little further. And 
methink the main Strefs of the Obje^ions 
lies in thefe two Points, Firft, J-h^fr this 
^fheory renders a great Part pf Q.Oiys 

N 3 WorK* 



I S a Letters comermng 

Workmanfliip vain and ufeldi Secondly, 
That it does not weH comport widi Im 
Majefty. 

For the firft. That this Theory renders 
a great Part of GOD's Workmanfliip 
vain and ufelefs, it may be thus argued 
Allowing that fenfation is only in the 
Soul, that there is nothing in Body but 
Magnitude, Figure and Motion, and that 
being without Thought it felf it is not 
able to produce any in us, and therefore 
thofe Senfations, whether of Pleafure or 
Fain, which we feel at the Prefencc of 
Bodies^ muft be prodiK:ed by foam higher 
Caufe than they ^ yet if the Ob^eds of 
our Senfes have no natural Eflkiency to^ 
wards the produdng of thofe Senfations 
which we feel at their Prefence, if thqr 
ferve no further than as pofitive uid arbir 
trary GcMiditions to determine die A6&m 
of the true and proper Caufe, if they, have 
nodiing in their own Nature tx> qpaiHBi^ 
diem to be inftrumental to theProdu^on 
of fbch and fudi Senfations, but that if 
<J O D' (hould fo pleafe f die Nature of 
the things notwith(b(nding) we might as 
well feel Gold at the prefence of fire as j 
of Abater, a(id heat at the Application of | 
WaWci»'' any other. Cteature j and fince 
GOI> may 99 veil excite Smations in 

our 



thetsms^ GOD. 18^ 

our Souls witbout thefe po(hiv6 Conditi- 
on} as with tliem, to what eixi do they 
ftrve ^ And fhen what becomes of that 
acknowledged Truth that GOD does no- 
tluag tiii vaiov when fach Variety of Olv 
joSts as omr Seiifes afe exercifed about are 
wbolly nnneceffinry > Why therefore may 
dMre not be a fenfibh C&ngniitf between* 
thofe Powers of the Soul that are etth 
ployed in Sto&tion, and thE>le Obj^sr 
whkh occsriioin it ? Anak>gobs to «l]»t 
vital Coogroity wUch your Friend Dr. 
Mm^ ^ wHi l^ye to\W 
h^wteftfenfr certain Iki^ * ^"^^^ ^ ^ 
difications of Matter, and' f;«y- «*-^*^if- 
thb plaftick Part of the 
Sou}; which Notion he ilaftrates by diaf 
PIba&K whidt the preceptive Part of tfab 
Soul (as ht calls itj is' afiFe6red with hf 
goiod K^ck or delkicMS Viandis^ as I- do 
this of ftti^h by his- of vitdt Congrmf/^ 
9AA mediinks they are fot fymbdical that 
if the one be admitted the oth^ may. Fo^ 
aathe Soul ibirfakes her Body when tfaji 
Tital Congruity fails, fo when this fenfible 
Cbngruity is wanting, as in the Cafe of 
Blindnefs, Deafiiefs, or the Palfie, &c. 
the Soul has no Senfation of Colours; 
Sounds,Heat and the like,fo that although 

tfar fame loiipreffion thst they 
. N 4 ufed 



1 84 Letters concernmg 

ufcd to do on her Body, yet whilft it is 
under this Indifpofition, (he has not that 
Sentiment of Pleafure or Pain which ufed 
to accompany that Impreifion, and there* 
fore though there he no fuch thmg as 
Senfation in Bodies, yet why may there 
not be a Congruitj in them by their Pre- 
fence to draw forth fuch Senfations in the 
Soul ? Efpedalty fince in the next place, 
it feems more agreeable to the Majefty of 
GOD, and tha:t Order he has eftabliflked 
in the World, to fay that he produces ouf 
Senfations mediately by hisServant Nature, 
than to affirm that he doeS' it tMonedidielj 
by his own Almighty Power. 

Nor will this be any Prejudice to die 
Drift of your Difcourfe,whicli is to prove 
that GOD only is to be lovied becaufe he 
only does us good, for the Oreature has 
as little Right to our Affedions this way 
as the other. If a bountiful Perfon gives 
me Money to provide my felf Neccffaries, 
tay Gratitude furely is not due to the 
Money but to die kind Hand that beflnwed 
it, to whom lam as much obliged as if 
lie had gone . wkh me* and bbu^t them 
himfelf. For: there feemyno Neceffity to 
pcmclude that I every thins; that does me 
good, that is, that produces Pleafure in 
we, f hough, it be. but the pntempdble 
.' ' ' . f kafure 



the Love of GOV. 185 

Pleafure of a grateful Odour, has on that 
account a juft Title to fome Portion of my 
Love, fince in fome Cafes the occafioning 
a moral and durable Good does riot ne- 
cefTarily challenge our Love. As for In- 
ftance, my Enemy does me very much 
good by his greateft Injuries and moft vi- 
rulent Reproaches, becaufe he gives Op- 
portunity of exercifing my Charity, and 
makes fnch a Difcovery of my Faults, 
that thereby I come to know and amend 
them. But I fuppofe you won't fay I am 
obliged to him for all this,or that I ought 
to defire thofe Injuries, or admit him to 
my Bofom who offers them ? Though per- 
haps my deareft Friend could not poflibly 
do me a greater good. We do not there- 
fore owe Love to any Objeft nierely on 
account of what it produces, but in Pro^ 
portion to that voluntary Kindnefs whereby 
it produceth it. Agreeably to what you 
fey in your firft Letter concerning Pain, 
that GOD occafions it only indireftly 
and by Accident, it is not his antecedent 
and primary Defign, he does not will it 
from wjrhin, or for it felf, but from with^ 
out, and therefore for thefe Reafons is 
not the Objeft of our Averfion." And To 
fay r,allowing that Eddies did really better 
pur Condition, that they did contribute 

tQ 



l86 Letters concerning 

to our Happioefs or Mifery, aod did in 
fboK Senfe produce our Pleafufe or Pain, 
yet fioce they do not mff it, do not a£fc 
voluntarily but mechanically, and aU the 
Power they have of iffe&h^ u$ proceeds 
intirely from the Will and good Pleafure 
of a fupeariour Nature, vrhofe InftfUoienti 
they are, and without whofe Bkffigg and 
Concurrence they could not a^ therefore 
they are not proper Objeds of Gur Love 
or Fear, which ought wholly and intire-^ 
ly to be referred to him, who freely ads 
upon our Souls, and does us good by 
theie invokiatafy and neceSry Inftm* 
mentSL 

For certainly th9t JBdtg only defervei 
our Love, €fven our mM low, who has 
it always in IMs Power to better and per* 
feft our Nilture, and who does v(4nntari< 
Xj and freely exert that Powor. Which 
^mer Oaufe I add to cut off otir Ijove 
from all rational Creature^ w1k> may be 
in(h:umental to our Good deSsnedly acid 
freely^ but (ince their Power is not ori<- 
^naily from themfelves, neither «re they 
always in a Capacity of exerting k, feeing 
they mdjy and very often eh^ want eidter 
power or Will to help us, thereftMC they 
are tK)t the {»op^ ObieSb of our Love. 
For that Being only is fo who cootUatly 

and 



the Ln^e (ff GOD. 187 

and chufingly gives us j^eafures and per * 
fc&s our Natures, or at leaft is always 
ready to do fo/and adually does it, when 
not prevented and hindered by our Indif- 
portions and wilful Incapacities. 

Thefe Sir, are at prefent my Thoughts, 
tihoQ^ haOily huddled up, lor I had b«t 
a &w Hoors to ewBmii tnd diged thsm, 
and was not wiilmg to reni9fii«fi3r longer 
in your Debt for tms Letter^ having tre^ 
p«0Bd too much already. And I aqt CQOo 
fident you are foch an u«^g»ed U>ver 
of Truth, that you will on ti^t Acoount 
«a% pardon her Boldnefs in di^iag 
^U8 iireely agaioft your iograiois O^ 
cotvfe, who is with all EVeCpe^ and Gta^ 
tkude 

Tour faithful Friend 

»frlW|^^ *%•%!%•," •^^••A 



\ 



Mf, 



1 8 8 Letters coneerhlng 

» { . ■ • 

■ i 

Mr. NorrisV Anfn?er. 

... - ■ - • ' I 

i . . 

"\T OU afe no lefs happy in this your 
X Review than in your firft Overture^ 
to pitch upon the only material Objedion 
to which the Propofition ybu attack is 
liable* But before I fet my felf to anfwer 
it, give me leave to fuggeft to you that 
• tis a Propofition of the moft incontefta- 
ble and jAilofophick Evidence, and in 
the Difcourfe • you refer to nloft clearly 
demonOrated to be fo, that the Bodies 
that are about us are not the true Caufes 
of thofe Senfations which we feel at their 
Prefence, 'but that GOD only is the 
Caqfe of them, who being the Author oi 
our Beings has the fole Power to aft upon 
our Spirits, and to cive them new Modi- 
fications. I fay modifications^ for that 
well exprefles the general Nature of Sen- 
fation. And it is a new Modification or 
different way of exifting of the Soul that 
makes this or that Senfation, which is 
not any thing really diftinft from the 
Soul, but the Soul it felf exiftmg after 
fuch a certain Manner. Wherein it is 

diftin- 



the- Love of G OB. 189 

diftinguiflhed from our Ide£s^^ which arc 
reprefentative to us of fomethirig without 
us^ whereas our Senfations arp within us^ 
and indeed no other wife diftind from u^ 
than Modalities are from the thing modir 
fied. Accordingly there is a vaft DifiFerence 
between knowing by Sentjm€»t zndi know- 
ing by Ided. * We know Numbers, Extea- 
fion, and Geometrick Figures by Idea, but 
we know Pleafure and Pain,Heat and Co- 
lour, &c. by interior Sentiment. To know 
Niimbers and Figures there is need of 
Ideas, for without an Idea the Soul can 
have no Perception of any thing diftind 
from it felf, as Numbers and Figures are. 
But to know or perceive Grief there is no 
need of an Idea to reprefent it* A Mo- 
dality of the Soul is fufficient, it being cer- 
tain that Grief is> no other, than a Modi- 
figation. of the Soul, who when in Grief 
does not perceive it as a thing without 
and djftinfk from hier felf (a^ when (he 
contemplates a Square or a Triangle) but 
as a different Manner of. her own Ex- 
iCteace. Sensation then being a Modifica- 
tioa of the Soul, this firigle Confideration 
letting, afide all other Difcourfings will 
■furnifli us with a; deiiionftrative Argument 
to prove that not Bodies,but G O D alone 

is the Caufe of our Senfations. V iFbr who 
- ^ '-'"'■' ' clfe 



1 90 Letters (onceming 

elfe (hduld ehlier haVe Power tn Kttow- 
ledge to new inodifie oar beings, but he 
vfho ma.de them and perSsSAy mKHerftaad^ 
t)iem> But I <fti^ll not enter upon a fitttfaer 
t)eitR:ud\td(tlon of '^ is Point, fince I h^ve 
abmidantiy proved k in my Printed Dif- 
coorfe oiitit Love of OOD, and fince 
yon do as pxA as albw it hi your pee- 
lent Ol^eftfon. Thii thereibft appearing 
to be a clear and certain Truth, ^e mt 
leave again to temind you of a certam 
Maxim that I obftrved to ydu in my M 
tetter. That m ire to pkk to tfihut wt 
dearly fie^ notv^thptnding ttt) OhJeStimt 
thit fuAj it hrvHght igifan it^ tmd ftot n- 
je£f tpha k etideift pt the fake efwhai'k 

iA>fcttte. Suppofing therefore that there 
are, or might be ijft^ftitihs ralfed to Ihew 
that GOD Is not the Ciufeof our fen- 
fations which I could, not anfwer,yei fince 
my Reafon as often as 1 confult ner dOeS 
moft convindrtgly aifui^ me that he h, t 
ocLght to reft !iere,and not fuffer that which 
I do not perceive,tohfaidermefroMaffent- 
ing ro that which I evidently da 

But to confider your Objeftiofts, I ob- 
ferve in the firft place that having granted 
that Senfatioh is only in the ^ul, th^ 
there is ^oAing in Body but Magnitude, 
Figure ^d ^?lotion, and that being with- 
out 



the Lo^ve of GOD. 191 

out Thought it felf it is not able to pro- 
dace it in us^ and thef efixe thdfe Senfa^ 
f Ions, whether of Pleafure ot Pain which 
We feel at the Prefence of Bodies, muft 
be produced by fome higher Cank than 
they (all Which well agrees with the Con* 
dufion I contend fot) you afterwards ol> 
5eft againft their being only Condldonfi 
ftrving to determine the A&l(m of the 
true and pr6per Caufe, which Objefticnl 
(eems to come a little unexpeftedly after 
fuch a Conceffion. For if they are not 
irUe and proper Caufes of our Senfations, 
what dfe can they be but Conditions fer- 
Vin|i^ to determine the Agency of him who 
is fo ? Yes, you feem to point out a mid- 
dle Way, by fuppofing that as they are 
hot fo much as proper Caufes, fo they are 
more than mere Ccmditions, wz. That, 
they have a natwrdt Efficacy tewardi the Pro^ 
dnSkn cf^nr Senfdtianr. But if I am not 
mightily miftakeii, this middle Way wiH 
feH in with one of the Extrearas. For 
to hare a natural Efficacy for the Pro- 
duftion of a thing, is the fame as to have 
a Caufality, and that again is tlie fame as 
tt> be (at leaft a partial) Caufe, If there- 
fore the Objefts pf our Senfes be not true 
and proper Caufes of our Senfatibns,, then 
r have they any natural Efficacy to^ 

wards 



19* Letters concerrihg 

« 

wards the produftion of them. But iS 
they have any fuch natural EflSqacy, then 
they are true and proper Caufes, whidi 
though it be a Propofition which you 
formally and exprefly deny, is that how-^ 
ever which your Objeftion in the true 
Confequence and Kefult- of it tends to 
prove. And to prove this. That Bodies 
nave a natural Efficacy towards the Pro^ 
duftion of our Senfations, or that they 
are true Caufes of them (for I take them 
to be Proportions of an equivalent Im- 
port j you argue from a twofold Topick ^ 
Firft, That the conttary Theory renders 
a great Part of GOD's Workmanftiip vaitf 
and ufelefs. Secondly, That it docs not 
well comport with his Majefty. Now to 
fet you ri^t in this matter, and to acquit 
our Theory from both thefe very threat-^ 
nirtg Inconveniences, we need only fairly 
ropofeit. The Cafe then is this. GOD 
as united my Soul to a certain Portion 
of organized Matter, which therefore for 
the particular Relation it has to me I call 
my Bojdy. This Body of mine is, placed 
among and furrounded with a vajft Num;* 
her and Variety of other Bodies* Thefe 
other Bodies according, to the Laws of 
Motion eftabliflied in the World ftrjLkp va-^ 
ripufly upon mine, and make dififiqrent 

im- 



I 



the Love of GOV. 19^ 

Impreffions upon it according to the de- 
gree of their Motion, and the difference 
of their Size and Figure. Thefe Impref- 
fions have a different Effeft upon my Bo- 
dy, fome of them tending to the Good 
and Prefervation, and fome to the Evil 
and DifTolution of its Strudure and Me- 
chanifm, even as in the greater World 
fome Motions tend to the Generation and 
Perfeftion, and others to the Corruption 
and Deftrudion of natural Bodies. Now 
though it be not neceffary that my Soul 
Ihould know what is done to other Bo- 
dies, yet for the good of the animal Life 
it is very neceffary fhe Ihould know what 
paffes in her own, whether fuch or fuch 
Impreffions make for its good or hurt. 
Now there are but two ways for this, 
Ug^t and Sentiment. My Soul mnfl know 
this either by confidering and examining 
the Nature of other Bodies, the inward 
Configuration of their Parts, the Diffe- 
rence of their Bulk and external Figure, 
the Degree of their Motion, and withal 
the Relation that all thefe bear to the 
Configuration of her own Body, or by 
having fome different Sentiment raifed in 
her according to the Difference of the 
Impreffion, or in clearer terms, by being 
differently modifed her feif, according as 

O the 



194 Letters concerning 

the Modification of her Body is altered 

by the Ineurfion of other Bodies. The 

firft of thefe Ways, befides that it would 

employ and ingage the Soul which was 

siadc for the Contemplation and Love 

of G OU (her true and only Good) in 

Aings altogether unworthy of her Appli- 

catioQ, is withal, considering the Narrow-^ 

tiefs of our Faculties, and the frequent 

Return, of fuch Occaik>ns^ not only infi* 

nitely tedious, painful and diftra&ingy 

hut utterly impradicable. For after all 

if I were not to take away my Hand 

ftofi the Fire till I had enfiered into the 

Pyiofophy of it^ examiiaed the Figure 

smct Motion c^ i^ little Particles, and 

confidered the feveral Relations they had 

to the Configuration of my Body, Ifhould 

be burnt before I had a quarter ended my 

Specuktion« It is necelTary therefore thk 

there ihould be a quicker and a (horter 

way of advertifing the Sdul of the feveral 

Reladons that other Bodies bear to faex 

own, and of the Conveniency or Dif- 

conveoiency of their Impreffionis. Which 

can be only by a fuitable Sentiment eidier 

of Pleafore or Pain, according as the ktt- 

{^eilkm happens to be. Bnt this is as 

Advertifement i muft in vain expeft from 

Bodies. They can giveLms JiDciIntelligence 

\ . ^ of 



the Love of GOD. 19 5: 

of What even themfelves do to tne. They' 
can indeekl change the Situation of the; 
Parts of my Body, but they cannot give^ 
any Sentiment to my Mind, or new mcP 
difie my Soul. GOD only is abte to do 
liiis, and accordingly being willing th4tf 
1 (hould know the Relations that othet^ 
Bodies bear to mine with as little Troubfe 
as may be, (it being not fit that a Sou! 
made £(x the Contemplation of an intfi« 
nite Good, (hould be occupied and taken 
sp with anxious Difquifitions about Bo- 
dies) he leaves it not to my Reafon to 
explore and fift out the Congraities or 
Diicongruities of other Bodies with mine 
(which would not only be a laborious, 
but after all a very fallacious and uncer- 
tain way) but in Wifdom thinks fit to go 
another way to work, and to give me 
doe Information of thefe things by the 
fbott inconteftabk Proof of Sentiment. 
And becaufe Pleafure and Pain are the na- 
tural Marks of Phyfical Good and Evil, 
and withal the ftrongeft and moft quick- 
ning Motives to incline me to feefc or 
fliun the Ufe of Bodies, accordingly thefe 
are the two general Senfations he rai(e$ 
in my Soul according as the Impreffions 
are which are made upon my Body. Thus 
for Inftance, when the Motion of the Fife 

O a is 



196 Letters concerning 

is moderate and temperate upcm my Body, 
and ferves only to open and fupple its 
Parts, to quicken my blood, and to che- 
rifti and recreate my Spirits, I feel a Sen- 
titQent of Pleafure. ^ut when it comes 
to be intemperate fo as to indanger the 
Rupture of any of its Fibres, I feel a 
contrary Sentiment of Pain, which admo- 
niflies me of the imminent Evil, and in 
a Language that even Children and Idiots 
underftand, bids me remove my felf at a 
greater Diftance. And all this with a 
great deal of Reafon. For though there 
be nothing in the Motions themfelves re* 
fembling thofe Senfations which attend 
them, and though the Motion which oc« 
cafions Pleafure diflfer only in Degree 
from that which occafions Pain f whidi 
by the way is a plain Argument that thofe 
Motions do not properly caufe Or pro- 
duce thofe Senfations) yet (ince as far as 
they refp^ the Prefervation of the Ma- 
chine, and the good of the bodily Life 
or State they differ effentially, or in their 
whole Kind, it is fit they (hould be at« 
tended with Senfations effentially diffe- 
ront^ fuch as Pleafure and Pain, which 
therefore GOD raifes in the Soul in con- 
feqoence of thofe general Laws of Union 
which U has cftablife?d txtween it and 

th9 



the LoveofGOD. 197 

Ac body, touching it as it ought to be 
touched in relation to the difference of 
fenfible Objefts. The Wifdom and Good- 
nefs of which Conduft we can never fuf- 
ficiently meditate upon or admire. 

And now Madam, I can no fooner fup- 
pofe you to have gone over in your 
Thoughts this account concerning the 
manner of Senfation, than to have form- 
ed within your felf a fatisfadoyy folution 
of the Difficuhies you propbfe* For 
though thefe fenfible Objefts are not the 
true Caufes of thofe Senfations which we 
feel in our Souls upon the Impreffions 
they make in our Bodies, but only Con- 
ditions determining the Agency of the 
true Caufe, yet it does by no means fol- 
low from hence that therefore they ferw 
far nothings and are tpholly unmcejftry. No, 
the contrary appears fromv the Account 
before given. For though' thefe Objefts 
do not ad irpon bur Spirits, or truly and 
properly fpeaking, produce any fenfation 
there, yet they do really make an Impref- 
fion upon our Bodies, and according to 
the different meafur6 or manner of that 
Impreflion minifter to GOD (the true 
efficient) an apt and proper occafion to 
z6t upon our Spirits, and fo in this refpeft 
are not merely poiitive and arbitrary Con- 

O 3 ditions. 



198 Letters concerning 

ditions. 'Tis true indeed if by po^trre 
and arbitrary Conditions yon mean diat 
there is po real Analogy or necefTary Con- 
nexion, abftraftin^ from all Will or Con- 
fiitution of GOD about it, between fuch 
Impreflions and fuch Senfations, fo they 
are mere pditive and arbitrary Conditio 
ons. For moft aiTuredly there is nothing 
in thofe Motions that either ^nfwen the 
following Senlations, or naturally and 
aeceflarily inf^s them. But if by pofi« 
tive and arbitrary Conditions you mean 
that there is no greater ELeaibn why GOD 
in Confideration of the Welfare of the 
Body (hould give the Sooi fudi a Senti« 
ment, rather than anpdier upon fudi an 
Impreffion, Co they are not mere pofitive 
and arbitrary Conditions. For though 
that Motion whidi is followed with Plea- 
fure, has no Phyfical Anaiogy with Plea* 
fure, as difiering cmly in de§^ from that 
which, is followed with Pain (whereas 
Pleafure and Pain differ eflentially) and 
fo though GO D might if he pleafed ex- 
change Senfations, giving me, fuppofe, a 
fentiment of Pain, when the Motion of 
the Fire is temperate, and according to 
the prefent order of things ought to be 
followed with a fentiment of Pleafure, 
and fo likewife giving truf a fentiment of 

Pleafure 



the Lf^ve of G D. 19^ 

Pleafiire when the motion of the fife U 
intemperate, and fo according to the pre^ 
fent Eftablifhment ought to be follo\teid 
with a fentiment of Pain, I fay though 
he might thus tranfpofe our Senfations 
for any Phyfical PropoTtiort or Connexidri 
that is between them and their refpeftive. 
Motions, yet in regard to the good fl^atd 
of the Body it is not fo fit and reafon* 
able that he fliould, as is obvious to con- 
ceive. ^ And this is all thcfenfble Cangmi^ 
ty I can allow you. For in ftiort, if by 
fenfible Congmity you mean only, that 
conlidering the Good or Evil that arrived 
to the ftate of the Body from fuch an Im- 
prefSon there is an antecedent Aptnefs or 
Reafon in the thing why GOD ftiould 
touch the Soul with fuch or fuch a Sen- 
timent rather than with its contrary, I 
readily acknowledge that there is fuch 2 
fenfible Congruity. Buf if by fenfibl^ 
Gongruity you mean (as you feem to doj 
that there is any natural finiilitude or pro- 
portion between fuch an Impreffion and 
fuch a fentiment as to the things them- 
felves, or that by virtue of ■ this Analog 
fuch an Impreflion has any natural Effi^ 
cacy to produce, or (in your Language) 
to dratp prth fuch a fentiment,- in this 
fenfe I deny that ther^ is^iiy fuch thing 

O 4 as 



200 Letters concerning 

as a fenfible Congruity ; that is, I deny 
that fenfible Objefts have any fuch con* 
gruity with our Senfations as to be able 
to contribute any thing by way of a Phy- 
fical Efficiency towards thd Produdion of 
them. No not fo much as by way of In^ 
firumentf. For even Inftrumen^s belong 
to the Order of efficient Caufes, though 
they are lefs principal ones, and his m^ 
certain that GOD has no need of any, 
fince his Will is efficacious of it felf. If 
therefore this be meant by fenfible Con- 
gruity that the Objefts of our fenfes have 
any real Part or Share in the Produftion 
of our Senfations, though it be only in 
an inftrumentd way, I utterly difclaim it 
as an abfurd and unphilofophical Preju- 
dice, and that without any Danger of 
rendring the Workmanflup of GOD vain 
or unneceffary, that Inconvenience being 
fufficiently faJved by the firft kind of 
fenfible Congruity, as you may cafily per- 
ceive. 

This Madam, I think gives full Satis* 
faftion to your firft Inftance, As to your 
fecond. That it feems more agreeable to 
the Majefty of C O D to fay that he pro- 
duces our Senfations mediately by his 
fervant Nature, than to affirm that he 
does it immediately by his own Almighty 

Power, 



f 

the LoveofXjOD. aoi 

Power, I reply briefly, Firft, That Argu- 
ments from the Majefty of GOD fignifie 
no more here agaiiift GOD's being the 
immediate Author of our Senfations than 
in the old Epicurean Objeftion againfl: 
ftrovidence. And indeed they feem both 
to be built upon the fame popular Preju* 
dice and wrong Apprehenfion concerning 
the Nature of the Deity, as if it were a 
Trouble to him to concern himfqlf with 
his Creation. If it were not beneath the 
Grandeur and Majefty of G O D to create 
the World immediately^ neither is it fo to 
govern it, and if his Greatnefs will per* 
mit him to order and dired the Motions 
of Matter^ much more will it to aft upon 
and give (entiments tp our Spirits, tho' 
with his own immediate Hand, which is 
neceflary to hold and govern the World 
which it has made. For, after all. Se- 
condly, We have no reafon to think it 
beneath the Majefty of GOD to do that 
himfelf which can be done by none but 
himfelf. Which as I have fufficiently (hewn 
to be the Cafe in reference to our Senfa- 
tions, fo I doubt not but that if you 
carefully read over Mr. Malebranch^ T^m^ 
cbant r efflcace attribuee aux Caufes feconds^ 

70U will 6nd to hold as true as to all 
thmgs elfe. I mean that GOD is the 

only 



|oa Lftters concerning ' 

only trwe^ciei^t Caufe, aud tlij^ hij jfle? 
vapt N4fftie i§ t>4t a mere Chimera. 

/^§ to what you fay, Uftly, That d» 

Suppolitbu of Bodies having an itppp:- 

aiate Capfality in the Produdion pf out 

Senfation^ will be no Prejudice to tb» 

JDlrift of my DifcourCe, the bttire Lc/vn 4 

G D, becaufe of the mecli^nical an} 

involuntary way of their Operation, \ 

do not know whet|ier this Suppofitiiw 

will he fo h»rmlefs or nq. ^ut this f ?P 

fure of, t^at the' fafeft way to be^ir t^ 

Creatures from all Preteniif^msto my tovft 

j? tp dew that \ haye^ny of njy Senfa- 

jions from fhem, or fhat I ^m Ijehplqfti 

to them for the le^ Sfldipyation or Per- 

feaioi) of my Bping. Anjl be(idps, if w 

flipuld once allow them jn a true s^oa 

Phyfi^al Sepfe to c^ufe ppr S^nfations, I 

am iiiclli^ed to thip^ that this imy joftly 

Be uTed as an Argument aPajteriarit ft? 

prove ihut |hey do not do it fp rpechani' 

cijly and ^voluntarily ^ you reprefei^ 

it, out rat^pr knowingly and de^jp^lj, 

fitice k i$ impbifibl^ ^t any tiiing l)qt; 

z^it^kmg PrincifU i!apyM be produ^ve 

.of* injTfmskh ^ ^1 Senf3ti9ft cq^* 

And thijis^ M?(iaJ?^ I \'^^^ endeav;9li|9' 



Upon this ^^t and noble, but much ne- 
gleded Argument, and %U tlM my ^If 
very happy and fuffidently re^rarded if by 
the Pains I have beftowed I may defqrvf 
the Title of 

Bemtrtmt Yo^t fiucpre Fpeji^, 

Sept* 21* 

and hpmWe servant. 



KUI i.U J W?g^*Hy^>g>'?ff^ 



FINIS. 



Mtois Frintti fur $. Maafliip, «rtlr«Slup tU4r thg 
Royal £xchuge «» G>rnhil. 

AColleftioD of MifcelliDics, confifttiigof Votmi, Eflayi, 
Difcourfes tnd Letters, ivo. 
Theory and Regulatioo of Love, a Moral Eflay, ia Tvro 
farts: To which are added. Letters Philofephical and Mo- 
ral, between the Author and Dr. Mare. The Second Editiotu 
Praiftical Difcoarlcs opon the Beatitudes of oor Lord«id 
SiTioar Jefiis Cbrift, Vol. I. & 2. %vo* 6 s. 
Praftical Difcoorfes opon icYeral DiWae SabjeAs, Vol« j. 

An Account of Reafon and Faith, in relation to the 
Myftcries of Chriftianity. 8v9. 

Letters Philolbphica), Moral and Dinoe, to the Re?e» 
rend Mr. JtAn Noms^ with his Anfwen. 8vs. 

Treatifes upon federal Subjefts, fermerfy printed fing|e, 
now colle^d into one Volume. Sv9» 

An Efty to the Theory of the Ideal World* In 2 VoL 

&JF the Rivereni Jirrfbhn Norris» tuawtf 
Bemerton wtm Sarum* 



Booh Primgd for R. Wilkin 4t tho Ring'/ Hcajl 
in St. PauPi Chnrch^rdrd. 

A Serious Propofal to the Ladies for the Advanoeiiient 
of their True and Greateft fntereft. In a PMs* ft^ 

Some Refleftions upon Marriage. Sva. 

Moderation truly Stated : Or, A Review of t hte 
Pamphlet, Entituled, Moderation a Vertue, with a Prefa- 
tory Difcourfe to Dr. D* Aveiuu^^ eoncerning his late Eilays 
00 Peace and War. Afto. 

A Fair Way with tteOiftntont and their Patrons, not 
Writ by Mr# i.«-*'««^j^,or any other Furious Jaoobite,whether 
Ciergy^maa or Lay*mao , but by « very Moderatt Perfont 
and a Dutiful $ub)eft to the (^een. 4^9. 

An Impartial Enquiry toto the Gaofes of Rebellion and 
Civil War in this Kingdom, in an Examination of Dr. 
Kennett^i Samofk JdWiotf %u 1704, and Vindication of 
the Royal Martyr. 4^. 

The Chriftiao Rdigioo, as Profefled by t Daughter of 
the Church of EngfdmL 9v% 



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